FROM  THE  LIBRARY  OF 
REV.   LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON.  D.  D. 


BEQUEATHED   BY   HIM  TO 

THE  LIBRARY  OF 

PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


"i^S^S. 


>:t*- 


3 


JORDAN'S 


:new  method 


OP 


SIGHT-SING-ING 


A    SIMPLE   AND    PRACTICAL    SYSTEM    OF    READING 
AND   SINGING    MUSIC  AT   SIGHT. 


WITH 


EXERCISES     AND     ILLUSTRATIONS, 


EDITED     BY 


NEW    YORK    AND    CHICAGO: 

PUBLISHED    BY    BIGLOW    &    MAIN 

May  be  ordered  through  any  Bookseller  or  Music  Dealer. 


COPYRIGHT,    1883,  BY  BIGLOW  &  MAIN. 


PREFACE 


Though  fully  aware  of  the  numerous  works  already 
published  on  the  subject  of  Sight-singing,  at  the  solicita- 
tion of  many  persons  who  have  rapidly  become  good  sight- 
singers  by  the  use  of  the  principles  and  ideas  embodied 
in  this  method,  it  has  been  decided  to  place  it  in  the  hands 
of  the  public,  trusting  it  will  continue  to  be  instrumental 
in  furthering  practical  musical  knowledge. 

The  plan  of  study  is  new,  and  will  not  be  found 
outside  of  this  work.  It  is  claimed  for  it  that  the  char- 
acters and  signs  used  in  writing  music  are  explained  in 
such  a  manner  that  the  pupil,  instead  of  becoming  con- 
fused, as  is  so  frequently  the  case,  is  taught  that  Sight- 
singing  is  not  an  acquirement  attainable  by  only  a  few, 
but  that  any  one  with  a  fair  musical  capacity  may  learn 
to  look  at  notes  and  comprehend  what  they  represent. 

Who  does  not  know  of  innumerable  persons,  who,  to 
use  a  common  phrase,  are  full  of  music ;  yet,  if  asked 
to  read  music,  would  not  be  more  non-plussed  if  they 
were  asked  to  read  Greek. 


4  PREFACE. 

This  state  of  affairs  is  the  result  of  methods  need- 
lessly Intricate,  both  in  the  principles  and  the  manner 
of  presenting  them.  While  some  persons  overcome  the 
difficulties  thus  presented  in  reading  music,  the  larger 
number  are  left  as  much  in  the  dark  as  ever. 

Teachers  of  Voice  Culture  are  aware  that  many  persons 
are  desirous  of  becoming  singers,  but  who  overlook  the 
very  important  branch  of  learning  to  sing  music  at  sight, 
and  seem  satisfied  with  laboriously  learning  the  melodies 
of  a  few  selections  with  the  help  of  a  teacher.  Such 
pupils  may  attain  success,  so  far  as  the  cultivation  of 
the  voice  is  concerned,  yet,  if  they  are  called  upon  to 
sing  a  composition  which  is  new  to  them,  or,  to  sustain 
a  part  in  concerted  music,  they  feel  forced  to  decline, 
knowing  that  such  an  attempt  would  not  prove  creditable 
to  them. 

In  this  work,  no  use  of  the  syllables  Do,  Re,  Mi,  etc., 
is  made  in  teaching  the  pupil  the  scale,  because  wide 
experience  in  instructing  has  proven  that  it  is  much  more 
effective  to  have  the  pupil  use  the  single  syllable  "La," 
or  A  (ah),  in  producing  each  and  every  tone  of  the  scale. 
By  this  means,  the  pupil  does  not  get  One  (or  the  key- 
note) of  the  scale  associated  with  the  syllable  Do ;  Two 
with  Re ;  TJiree  with  Mi,  etc.,  as  is  the  case  with  that 
method  which  changes  the  position  of  Do  every  time  the 
signature  is  changed,  commonly  known  as  the  Movable 
Do  Method. 


PREFACE,  5 

Another  manner  is  to  use  the  syllables  Do,  Re,  Mi,  etc., 
but  always  read  them  in  one  position,  usually  called  the 
Method  of  the  Fixed  Do.  This  method,  like  that  of  the 
Movable  Do,  presents  needless  difficulties  to  the  pupil, 
and,  therefore,  is  not  used  in  this  book. 

In  short,  it  is  the  aim  of  the  Author  and  the  Editor 
of  this  little  work  to  make  clear  in  its  pages  the  prin- 
ciples by  which  any  person  of  ordinary  musical  capacity 
may  become  able  to  read  and  sing  music  at  sight. 

Julian  JoRDAif. 
Geo.  T.  Bullijs^g 


EXPLANATORY. 

The  distinctive  features  of  this  metliod,  besides  the 
claim  made  for  it  that  the  characters  and  signs  used  in 
writing  music  are  explained  in  a  manner  unusually  com- 
prehensive, are  the  separating  of  the  two  mental  j)rocesses 
necessarily  employed  by  the  person  singing  at  sight. 

These  processes  are,  1st.  Reading  or  comprehending 
the  scale  number  of  each  tone  in  a  composition.  2nd.  The 
production  of  the  tone  read. 

TO    READ    THE    NOTES. 

The  plan  of  study  to  teach  the  pupil  to  read  notes  is 
to  write  the  scale  number  of  each  tone  in  an  exercise  or 
composition. 

After  this  is  thorougJily  practiced,  the  pupil  will  have 
no  trouble  to  comprehend  the  scale  number  of  the  tones. 
This  is  reading  the  pitch  of  the  notes,  and  the  importance 
of  thorough  practice  in  this  branch  cannot  be  too  strongly 
urged. 

The  rules  determining  the  position  of  One  (or  the  key- 
note) of  the  scale  are  so  clearly  given,  that  the  student 
will  have  no  difficulty  in  this  respect. 

TO    SING    THE    NOTES    READ. 

Tlie  pupil  should  be  taught  to  practice  the  tones  of  the 
scale  in  such  a  manner  that  the  different  characteristics 
of  the  tones  of  the  scale  are  made  known  to  him.     After 


«  EXPLANATORY. 

mastering  the  scale  according  to  the  plan  taught,  he  will 
have  no  difficulty  in  producing  the  tones  read. 

The  usual  custom  of  using  the  syllables  Do,  Re,  Mi,  etc., 
is  dropped,  not  because  it  is  impossible  to  teach  a  person 
by  that  method,  but  because  experience  has  shown  that 
while  a  few  learn,  many  fail.  The  cause  of  this  is  the 
keeping  of  the  pupil  in  one  key  until  he  has  become 
familiar  with  it,  and  then  suddenly  announcing  that  ''Do" 
is  now  to  be  changed  from  where  it  has  been,  to  another 
line  or  space  ;  and  not  only  is  it  to  be  changed  once,  but 
is  continually  changing,  until  the  difficulty  causes  the 
discouragement  of  the  pupil. 

The  method  of  the  fixed  ''  Do"  is  also  avoided  ;  since, 
for  practice  of  exercises  for  producing  the  correct  tones 
designated  by  the  notes,  the  syllable  "La"  or  the  vowel 
"A"  (ah)  is  certainly  as  effective,  and  has  the  advantage 
of  being  more  simple. 

The  fact  has  been  proven  that  the  syllables  Do,  Re,  Mi, 
Fa,  Sol,  La,  Si,  Do  are  invaluable  to  the  teacher  of  the 
art  of  cultwaiion  of  the  voice  in  singing,  but  that  their 
use  is  needless  to  the  teacher  of  the  science  of  sight- 
singing. 

By  using  the  syllable  "La"  for  every  tone,  a  pupil, 
or  a  class  of  pupils,  can  be  taught  to  produce  the  tones 
of  the  Diatonic  Scale  in  a  very  brief  time.  The  teacher 
points  to  the  tones  which  are  to  be  produced.  The 
pupil  can  produce  the  tones  tlius  designated  (using  the 
sylLable  "La"  for  each  tone)  simply  from  a  memory 
of  the  different  characteristics  of  the  tones  of  the  scale. 

After  the  pupil  is  able  to  produce  the  tones  with  "La" 
or  "A"  (ah),  he  can  easily  apioly  Do,  Re,  Mi,  etc. 


JORDAN'S 

New  Method  of  Sight-Singing. 


;;0^- 


PART    FIRST, 
THE  ABILITY  TO  READ  MUSIC. 


THE      SCALE. 

I. — Every  note  we  see  in  a  composition  is  some  number 
of  the  scale  in  which  the  comix)sition  is  written. 

II. — A  musical  scale  ascending,  is  a  succession  of  tones, 
each  being  higher  in  pitch  than  the  one  preceding.  There 
are  three  kinds  of  scales.  The  first  of  these  is  the  Major 
or  Diatonic  Scale,  and  is  the  one  commonly  used  in  music. 
The  other  scales  will  be  treated  in  their  order ;  but  the 
Major  Scale  should  first  be  thorouglily  mastered. 

III. — Tones  are  represented  by  characters  called  notes. 

(ILLUSTRATIOX   1.) 

I    I    >  ^  fe  1  ■       I    !    ^  .^  ^ 

ly. —  The  notes  have  two  distinct  values^  namely : 
A  time  value,  and   a    tone   or  jpitch  value.      As  they 


10  NEW   METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 

stand  above,  they  have  a  time  value  alone,  and  it  is  only 
when  we  place  them  on  the  degrees  of  the  staff  that  they 
liave  a  pitch  value. 

Y. —  Herein,  then,  is  found  the  use  of  the  Staff,  which 
is  composed  of  live  lines  and  four  spaces.  These  lines 
and  spaces  together,  with  the  added  lines  above  and 
below,  present   degrees  on  which  to  place  the  notes. 


THE      STAFF. 

{ILL.    fi.) 

First  added  line  above    —                                          _   _   _    e,^^*  ^„,o=  ^k«w« 
E■^f+u  i:„« First  space  above. 

Fo    .'    na"  :  :   : :  -   -   -    ^o-th  space. 

Third  line :  :  ;  Ji';„l='f  "• 

lrS';f„rf  z  :  : -  -  ft^^^r- 

c     ]    !)!    J  .•       u   .  Pit'St  space  below. 

First  added  line  below    —  ^ 


Yl. — Each  degree,  /.  e.,  line  or  space  of  tlie  staff,  has 
a  letter  name,  and  it  is  advisable  for  the  pupil  to  learn  it, 
although  it  is  not  absolutely  necessary,  in  order  to  learn 
to  si7ig  by  note.  If  the  pupil  ever  learns  to  play  an 
instrument,  it  will  then  be  necessary  for  him  to  learn  the 
letter  names  of  the  degrees  of  the  staff.  As  they  are  very 
easily  learned,  it  will  more  than  repay  the  slight  trouble 
it  costs. 


_d_ 

{ILL.   3.)  _h_^ 

r^^. 


d- 


THE  ABILITY   TO   EEAD   MUSIC. 


11 


VII. — As  there  are  but  seven  tones  in  a  Diatonic  Scale, 
strictly  speaking  (the  eighth  being  a  repetition  of  the  first, 
an  octave  higlier),  we  use  but  seven  letters  of  the  Alphabet 
in  naming  the  tones  of  the  scale. 

THE     DIATOISriC     SCALE. 

YIII. — Eight  tones  in  the  following  order  constitute  a 
Diatonic  (or  Natural)  Scale,  for  it  is  natural  to  sound  tones 
ascending  in  such  order : 

{ILL.   4.) 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

1            1                              1 

, 

1 

zq 

' 

; 

(^ 

1 

1 

^ 

rJ 

p^ 

^ 

rJ 

1 

-^- 

^ 

1 

W.*     W.       H.       W.       W.       W.       H. 
Note, — Observe  the  distance  between  the  tones  of  the  scale. 


IX. — The  notes  may  be  extended  both  below  and  above 
the  first  scale,  and  when  so  written,  we  say  they  are  in  the 
lower  or  higher  octave,  or  scale. 


{ILL.   5.) 

8 
6       7      13 


3     4 


6      7     1 


3      4 


ii 


:^: 


q=:^ 


:^-^- 


--■^-^i 


-^-^- 


^^^m. 


Tszmi 


.4- 


1-^ 


W.    H.  W. 


W.   H.  W.  W.  W.  H.  W.  W.    H.  W.  W.   W.   H. 


X. — The  scale  may  begin  in  any  degree  of  the  staflf, 
but,  the  order  of  the  intervals  must  be  preserved,  as  in 
Dlustration  4. 


*  The  Whole  Tones  are  designated  by  letter  W,   the  Half   Tones  bj 
letter  H. 


12  NEW   METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 

{ILL.  6.)  W.       W.       H.       W.       W.       K.       W. 

a.  New  scale, )  \~/ 

faulty.       f  pm-g 


1221 


122: 


:s2: 


1 


6 


&.  The  same,  \ 
corrected.  \ 


221 


1221 


W-       W.      H.      W.       W.       W.       H. 


XL — In  Illustration  6,  in  order  to  make  the  seventh  tone 
a  whole  tone  from  the  sixth,  it  is  necessary  to  raise  the 
seventh  a  half  tone  (or  semi-tone).  As  it  stands  in  Illus- 
tration 6,  a,  it  is  only  half  a  tone  higher  than  the  sixth, 
and  it  should  be  a  whole  tone.  Thus  it  is  necessary,  in 
writing  music,  to  use  the  following  characters — fi,  b:,  Cf. 
(The  first  is  called  a  sharp^  the  second  a  flat,  and  the 
third  a  natural.) 

XII. —  The  character  used  to  change  the  distances 
between  tones,  instead  of  being  placed  as  in  Illustra- 
tion 6,  h,  should  be  placed  at  the  beginning,  thus : 


{ILL.  7.) 


-.^i 


•^^- 


-1^ 


and  is  called  the  signature. 

XIIL— Therefore,  whichever  line  or  space  of  the  staff 
the  scale  commences  on,  the  tones  must  be  preserved  in 
the  same  relation  to  one  another.  In  order  to  keep  them 
so,  it  is  sometimes  necessary  to  use  many  sharps  or  flats. 


*  For  explanation  of  the  sign  called  "Clef"  see  page 26. 


THE  ABILITY  TO   EEAD   MUSIC. 


13 


(Jii.   8.) 
1  2 


-^- 


:^z 


:^=g: 


-^=m-- 


W.       W.       H.       W.       W.  '     W.       H. 


4z^- 


:^: 


:^=^: 


:?2: 


7        8 


m 


$-1 


"  W.  ""    W.       H. 
13  3 


W. 


W. 


W. 


'&- 


'■^ 


-JC^l 


i—^: 


4  5 


6 


H. 

7        8 


W.       W. 


H. 


r- 


LOWER   SCALE    (OR   OCTAVE) 

J.13345671 


W.  '    w.      w. 

8  UPPER   SCALE 


H. 


iSii 


■:\-=X- 


-^=^ 


W.  W.  H.   W. 


=1^=^=^ 


:?2=:^ 


n       r'       7      8 
3     4^5^    .^..^ 


:[==t 


t=t 


I 


U 


W.  W.    H.    W.   W.  H.    W.    W.    AV.    H. 


6 


8 


=/^^ 


E^ 


12^: 


:^z=^: 


■^- 


?^: 


i 


W.       W.       H. '     W.       W.       W.       H. 

123456  78 

=z=z==i=z=^=;i=q=z=:ji=:=| 


tf 


5=^^- 


-^ 


:^: 


2:^: 


^^^ 


^  W.      W.       H. 
12  3        4 


W.       W.       W.       H. 

5  6  7        8 


-^- 


^: 


2^: 


W.       W.       H.      W.  ^   W.       W.       H. 


LOWER    SCALE    (OR   OCTAVE).  8  UPPER   SCALE.  ft         7       ^ 

123456712345^_.^. 


-■^7^-^- 


W.  W.   W.   H.  W. 


W.   H.   W.  W.  W.    H. 


W.  W.   H. 

Note. —  Observe  that  in  each  of  the  above  scales  the  halftones  occur  between 
the  intervals  3  and  4,  and  7  and  S. 


14  NEW  METHOD   OF  SIGHT-SINGING. 

XIY.— As  already  remarked,  One  (or  the  key-note), 
of  the  scale,  may  be  on  any  line  or  space  of  the  staff,  and 
this  changing  the  position  of  the  key-note  is  called 

Tkansposition. 

Why  is  the  scale  which  begins  on  C  called  the  Natural 
Scale  %  The  key -board  of  a  piano  or  organ  is  arranged  in 
such  a  manner  that,  by  beginning  a  scale  on  the  key 
named  C,  we  can  .play  the  order  of  the  intervals  of  the 
Diatonic  Scale  (the  scale  which  sounds  most  familiar  to 
the  ear)  without  using  any  of  the  black  keys  called 
sharps  and  flats. 

The  truth  is,  that  the  scale  beginning  on  C  is  not  more 
natural  to  sing  than  a  scale  beginning  on  any  degree 
of  the  staff.  Take  for  example  the  tone  called  F,  as 
the  first  tone  of  a  scale,  and  you  will  sing  the  scale  as 
perfectly  as  you  would  with  C  as  a  starting  tone.  The 
same  is  true  of  any  tone  in  the  octave,  taken  as  the 
first  tone  of  the  scale. 

It  is  natural  to  keep  the  tones  of  the  scale  in  the  same 
position  relatively,  through  all  the  scales.  Therefore,  the 
scale  of  four  sharps,  beginning  on  E,  is  as  natural  as  the 
scale  beginning  on  C. 

In  the  following  example  all  the  tones  are  natural,  that 
is  to  say,  in  playing  the  scale  on  a  piano  or  organ,  the 
white  keys  alone  would  be  used : 


THE  ABILITY  TO  BEAD   MUSIC.  15 

(Jii.  9.) 

8  8  ,.678 

5      6      7      1      3      3      4     5      6  7     1     2      3      *     _  ..^  .<2.  :^: 


!'  -^-  "^"  "'^'"  ,  .    UPPER  SCALE  (OR  OCTAVE). 

-^-'^-   ^  MIDDLE  SCALE  (OR  OCTAVE).   ^^^^^  ou^^^r.  ^.v^rv  v^^x^vr.;. 

LOWER  SCALE  (OR  OCTAVE). 

GQ:,  ACT,  BtJ,  Ctt,  DCf,  etc. 

XV. —  Observe  that  there  are  no  characters  used  as  a 
signature,  in  Illustration  9,  to  designate  that  the  keys  of 
the  piano  or  organ  used  in  the  execution  of  the  exercise 
represent  naturals. 

XVI. — When  there  are  no  sharps  or  flats  as  a  sig- 
nature, no  black  keys,  or  keys  commonly  called  flats 
and  sharps,  are  used. 

Remarks. — In  playing  the  above  scale,  or  any  scale, 
the  pupil  should  begin  with  One  of  the  scale,  as  the 
first  scale  note  heard  will  be  taken  as  the  tonic  or 
key-note. 

If  the  pupil  should  begin  with  the  first  note  in  Illustra- 
tion 7,  which  is  G  natural,  and  begin  to  play,  the  scale 
would  not  sound  correct,  i.  e.,  natural,  unless  the  F  in  the 
scale  was  sharped.  But  if  One  is  taken  as  the  starting 
note,  he  would  then  be  playing  in  the  key  that  sounds 
natural^  without  using  the  black  keys  commonly  called 
sharps  and  flats. 

XVII.  —  Remember  that  a  scale  beginning  on  any 
degree  of  the  staff  is  as  natural  to  sing^  as  though  it 
began  on  the  first  line  below,  or  C.    The  reason  is  obvious. 


16 


?<^EW   METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 


when  we  remember  that  the  tones  are  exactly  the  same 
distance  apart  in  all  Diatonic  *  Scales. 

Xyill. — There  is  another  use  for  the  characters  S,  k,  tt. 
That  is,  they  may  be  introduced  in  any  part  of  the  com- 
position, at  the  pleasure  of  the  composer,  and  when  so 
introduced  they  are  called 


ACCIDENTALS 


{ILL.  10.) 


:i*ra=p: 


?=-: 


SE£ 


iz#*: 


fer: 


-f^-^ 


d  F^^^=g=g=g^E^ 


^zz:4=ti=± 


=^^ 


:t^ 


^t 


-Mi^=\-z]-z:t=\: 


:^-Mz^: 


■r=r- 


1 — r— h— h 

Remarks.— In  Example  d,  of  LI.  10,  the  notes  in  the 
first  measure  are  natural,  as  the  sharps  in  the  signature  do 
not  affect  any  notes,  excepting  those  on  the  same  degree. 
The  same  with  the  notes  in  the  second  measure. 


*  By  the  t3rm  Diatonic  is  meant  the  common  Major  Scale,  and  not 
the  Minor. 

t  For  explanation  of  the  sign  called  the  "  Tie,"  see  page  31. 


THE  ABILITY  TO   EEAD   MUSIC. 


17 


But  in  the  third  measure  the  Cs  are  sharped,  because 
one  of  the  sharps  which  stands  in  the  signature  is  on  the 
C  space,  and  consequently  every  C  in  the  composition  is 
C  sharp,  unless  a  natural  (Cf)  is  introduced  as  an  accidental, 
offsetting  the  effect  of  the  sharp  in  the  signature.  The 
same  is  true  of  all  notes  on  the  upper  line,  where  the 
other  sharp  is  placed,  which  is  the  F  line.  Every  note  on 
that  line,  or  the  octave  note  from  it,  is  F  sharp,  unless  the 
effect  of  the  sharp  in  the  signature  is  offset  by  tlie  intro- 
duction of  the  natural  (5)  as  an  accidental,  as  illustrated  in 
the  first  instance. 

Note. — When  the  natural  (tt)  is  used  as  an  accidental,  it  sometimes 
lowers  and  sometimes  raises  a  tone.  When  the  signature  is  sharps,  the 
natural  (tt)  lowers  the  tone,  when  the  signature  is  flats  it  raises  the  tone. 


XIX. — The  natural  (ft)  is  used  to  contradict  or  cancel 
the  power  of  a  flat  (I?)  or  a  sharp  (#). 


^^^^m\ 


XX. — It  is  very  important  that  the  pupil  should  become 
able  to  read,  or  name,  the  scale  number  of  each  tone  of  the 
composition  before  attempting  to  sing  it. 

For  practice,  let  the  pupil  number  the  notes  in  the  fol- 
lowing exercises,  with  the  pencil,  using  111.  12  as  a  model. 

Note. — When  the  signature  is  natural,  the  first  tone  of  the  scale  {or 
key-note)  is  on  the  first  added  line  below.     See  111.  12. 


18 


NEW   METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 


{ILL.   13.) 

a 


:-=\-^- 


xr--^--^- 


^-^-- 


--■^-^-^- 


3^^^: 


-^- 


13345678   1358531 


gE^E^i-fe_^E^^i^J 


^-^: 


6   8   6 


41    1258531 


For  practice,  let  the  pupil  number  the  notes  in  the  fol- 
lowing exercises,  with  the  pencil,  taking  the  x>receding 
illustration  as  a  model : 


^i-ss-^i^egfeHi^ 


--^■' 


g 


=|: 


5E3^3; 


12^: 


:?2: 


:=t: 


^-i^' 


:^=_^=^^ 


:^-^- 


:^ 


^^ 


Proceed  in  the  same  manner  with  the  following 


UPPER   SCALE. 


;^EFE^=^E^-3z-2 


t=.-^^-^ 


■^^^. 


-   'f  ■     3       5       ^       ^^1^^^432,3 


5     8 


d    L.  sc. 


u.  sc. 


J=^ 


i^r^T=F=3-=ES=r-r-"g=g^:s;g 


t=T 


t=t: 


:=^z^^=^ 


:l=T 


-^-^ 


^^     T'  '^'  "T     3       5       2       Q     5       8      7      6      5      4      3       2       . 
8^1  ^  ^ 


THE  ABILITY   TO  EEAD   MUSIC.  19 


'f^-&-^     _        l=-l h , ===]___ 


:^zit^^=^=^=;:^=^=4:=q=zT-=^izq: 


■^^^-- 


fe^^^^^EgEpEgjgE^Eg^^ 


^■" 


:^-^ ■ i 1 — \ — ^-^-^- 


Proceed  with  the  following,  using  those  already  given 
as  a  guide. 


i 


1=q: 


1==1=^=P=^=^=^=;:^=^— =^.==^ 


^=^: 


^-■^.    cJ     ^—^ r- ^—^—^—^7-:^: 


j     g^ — h^ — R- — \ 1 1 — 1 1 ^. — ^ — ^- 


i==^zz:^izitiz=^iz=ti:=tizizt=i=:^==l====]z=:^z=^: 


-t; 


5=i=d=5i=^=&=:e=^=:z^=S=:?2=J 


g— <^— ■^— i 1 \=.—\=.^-=.^. 


:^=[=:=tzz=t^=±z=rtz=i=±=ztz=t 


XXI. — The  note  that  is  No.  1  of  a  scale  ascending,  is 
No.  8  of  a  scale  descending.  When  tones  above  or  below 
are  written,  they  should  be  designated  according  to  the 
octave  they  are  in.  Practice  similar  to  the  foregoing 
should  be  very  thorough  and  complete. 

XXII.  —  No  attempt  to  sing  a  note  should  be  made 
without  a  tliought  as  to  which  tone  of  the  scale  we  wish 
to  produce. 


20  NEW  METHOD   OF  SIGHT-SINGING. 

Note.— ^dar  in  mind  the  fact  that  the  notes  which  we  see  are 
nunibers  of  the  scale,  or  octave,  and  also  rememher  that  a  scale  may  legin 
on  any  of  the  lines  or  spaces  of  the  staff. 

XXIII. — If  we  know  which  line  or  space  the  key-note, 
or  1  of  the  scale,  is  on,  we  ought  readily  to  name  the 
seven  remaining  notes. 

The  pupil  needs,  then,  knowledge  of  a  way  to  deter- 
mine the  position  of  the  first  scale-note,  or  key-note. 
This  is  easily  found  in  the  position  of  the  characters  as 
they  are  placed  in  the  signature. 

XXIV. — When  the  signature  is  designated  by  one  or 
more  sharps,  the  degree  on  which  the  sharp  (S)  farthest 
on  the  right  is  placed,  is  the  position  of  No.  7  of  the 
scale.  Consequently,  the  key-note  (8  or  1)  is  one  place 
above.    See  111.  13. 


(JZi.   13.) 

8  Key-note,  upper  position. 

t_7_f2 


a 


m 


i 


Key-note,  lower  position. 
8  Key-note,  upper  position. 


^7=^: 


'^- 


Key-note,  lower  position. 


~^. 


TT 

XXV.  —  When  the  signature  is  designated  by  flats, 
the  degree  on  which  the  flat  (»  farthest  on  the  right  is 


THE  ABILITY  TO   KEAD   MUSIC. 


21 


placed,  is  the  position  of  No.  4  of  the  scale.  Con- 
sequently, the  key-note  is  three  degrees  lower.  See 
HI.  14. 


(Jil.   14.) 


a 


P^i 


8 


mi 


-jc^i 


Key-note,  upper  position. 
Key-note,  middle  position.   ^.  1 

4===:=i= I  =:= 


8  -^- 

Key-note,  lower  position. 


:^~ 


S^E 


■?^- 


■S 


i 


te^==i- 


«*  E^ 


-^: 


1    L.  SC. 


i 


fc^; 


^^ 


etc. 


XXVI. —  The  same  rules,  respectively,  apply  in  all 
the  different  signatures. 


XXVII.  —  When  there  are  neither  flats  nor  sharps  in 
the  signature,  the  key-note  is  on  the  added  line  below. 
See  111.  12. 


22 


NEW   METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 


< 
o 


Pu 
W 

Eh 

(4 
O 
P4 

CQ         ^ 

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(ML 

ll. 
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be 


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IQii 
II 
TO 
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m 

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T^U 


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T*  K^ 


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15   ^ 


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TTTJ 


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HD 


nTi 


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IWj. 


(Ml, 


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f 
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II 

fciu 


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Ns 


THE  ABILITY  TO  BEAD  MUSIC. 


23 


m 


FT^ 


rr 


^ 


TTia 


J 


(HiiJ 

I 


u 


e    iTTO 


TO 


WjJ 


OQ 


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*»^, 


W^ 


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TTTS 


rr™ 


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S 
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1      'I 

^        OB 

<S       <» 

<»      ^ 

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V-     . 

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^       so 

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g  1 

24 


]^EW   METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 


(D 

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O 

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Eh 

w 

P5 
o 

w 

m 

o 
P3 
W 
X 
W 


to 


IH 


™ 


Ira 
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TTla 


1^ 


tf 


™ 


2       ii 


trtsr. 


V 


IX 


J^ 
H 


& 


■1 


(Ml 


w. 


"TO 


(ML 


■(Hit 

■"(! 

I 

%l 

I 

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4iij 

it] 

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I  I 

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THE  ABILITY   TO  READ   MUSIC. 


25 


P 


1 


nil. 


I 


^M 


ms 


in. 


c3 
S         TT 


uu 


-^ 

1^^ 


™ 


5    V 


Cm 

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C3 


91 


rrni) 
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diiL 


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!5      -S 


Is. 


I.  -i 

Eh     ^^ 

Si, 


26  tntew  method  of  sight-singing. 


BARS     AISTD     MEASURES. 

XXYIII. — The  staff  is  divided  by  short,  perpendicular 
lines,  which  are  called  bars,  and  which  divide  the  staff 
into  portions  called  measures. 

{ILL.    16.) 


I 


A  Large  Bar,  thus,  I  denotes  the  end  of  a  phrase,  or 
line  of  poetry. 

A  Double  Bar,  thus,  §  denotes  the  end. 
Dots  placed  in  the  spaces,  before  or  after  a  bar,  thus, 
iBj  indicate  Repetition. 

CLEFS. 

XXIX.  —  The  notes  of  a  scale  have  an  alphabetical 
name  (see  page  27)  principally  for  the  convenience  of 
instrumentalists.  Herein  is  found  the  use  of  the  sign 
called  Clef.  There  are  several  of  these  signs.  We 
have  use  for  but  two,  namely :    the  Gf,  or  Soprano  Clef, 

^,  and  the  F,  or  Bass  Clef,  ^*. 

Remarks. — There  is  a  clef  used,  by  some  writers,  called 
the  Tenor,  or  C  Clef,  which  fixes  C  on  the  third  space.  It 
will  be  seen  that  C  is  in  that  position  in  the  G  Clef. 
Therefore,  the  Tenor  Clef  does  not  change  the  position 
of  the  letters,  but  is  used  simply  to  assist  the  Tenor  in 
distinguishing  his  part  from  the  Soprano. 


THE  ABILITY   TO   READ   3IUSIC.  27 

The  Soprano  Clef,  so  far  as  vocal  music  is  concerned, 
is,  strictly  speaking,  designed  for  the  writing  of  music  to 
be  sung  by  female  voices,  although  it  is  used  for  either 
female  or  male  voices.  It  is  understood  that  when  it  is 
used  for  male  voices,  the  tones  are  to  be  sung  an  octave 
lower  than  where  written. 


XXX.  —  Beginners,  perhaps,  cannot  fully  understand 
the  use  of  two  clefs.    Let  us  examine  : 

{ILT..  17.) 


il^ 


3=:1=q: 


IT    G      F      E 


^   c    B  T  T  ^  ^ 


A      G      F      E      o 


m^^^mm 


=]: 


E(giz=:z=:zz: =zzz:i=^E!!i=g=i:a^=Ji:J 

G      F      E      D       C      B      A      G      F      E      D~ 


Remarks. — We  find  that  by  singing  the  note  pitched 
on  the  second  line  of  the  G  Clef,  and  the  descending 
tones  which  follow, some  voices  sing  down  to  the  first 
or  second  added  line  below,  and  are  unable  to  pro- 
duce any  tones  lower,  while  another  class  of  voices  is 
able  to  continue  the  scale  downward  many -lines  and 
spaces. 

Therefore,  we  see  that  to  represent  the  low  tones,  pos- 
sessed by  low  male  voices,  it  would  be  necessary  to  write 


28  liEW   METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 

many  added  lines  below  the  staff.  Thus  the  difficulty 
of  reading  would  be  increased.  By  making  a  staff  dis- 
tinct from  the  Soprano  staff,  we  can  place  the  note  which 
is  near  the  middle  of  the  compass  of  the  Bass  voice,  near 
the  middle  of  the  Bass  staff,  and  it  will  thus  be  easier  to 
read  the  music  (written  for  such  a  voice)  than  it  would  be 
if  written  on  the  Soprano  staff. 

{ILZ.  18.) 

G  Clef.  Which  determines  where  G,  a  tone  of  a  cer- 

tain number  of  vibrations,  is  placed,  which  is 
on  the  second  line  of  the  staff. 


A  Brace  is  used  for  connecting  the  staffs. 


F  Clef. 


Which  determines  where  F  is  placed,  which 
is  on  the  fourth  line  of  the  staff. 


TABLE    SHOWING    THE    COMPASS    OF    VOICES. 

TREBLE. 


(ILL.   19.) 

A1.TU.              !                                                                                                       j 

f) 

1                                                                 1                         _    ^ 

V 

-^    f^^-^ 

t) 

-T,^^-^^— 

i^2 

f^: -^-^-^-^ 

^                  ^                             -1                                                       — 1 

^^^— ^-^^ \- 1 

BASS. 


TENOR. 


^OTE.— Observe  that  the  note  on  the  added  line  between  the  two  staffs  is 
the  same  in  both  staffs,  namely:   C. 


THE  ABILITY  TO   EEAD   MUSIC.  29 


ON     BEATING^     TIME. 

An  almost  universal  difficulty  encountered  by  pupils 
is  the  ability  to  keep  perfect  time,  which,  in  reality,  is 
not  difficult  to  acquire. 

The  cause  of  the  trouble  is,  first,  the  failure  of  the 
pupil  to  consider  the  note  as  having  a  time  value,  as  well 
as  a  pitch  value,  and  second,  the  neglect  of  the  practice 
of  beating  the  different  kinds  of  measures,  ^,   5'   "^5 

J\.     ^       r*       JA.  I   f>  -^     -^      -fa^ 

S'  2^  S>  S^  ^^^  ^^— •  ^^  ^^  ^^^y  important  that 
the  pupiL  should  first  become  able  to  beat  time.  Al- 
though one  may  have  the  natural  qualities  necessary  for 
a  proficient  timist,  yet,  in  no  way  can  they  be  developed 
so  well  as  by  accustoming  one's  self  to  beating  time  w^ien 
singing.    (See  instructions,  page  33.) 

When  the  ability  to  beat  time  regularly  and  accurately 
is  attained,  it  will  be  easy  to  keep  the  movement  of  the 
music  without  any  visible  beating  (the  slightest  movement 
of  the  finger  will  be  sufficient).  Finally,  no  beating  will 
be  necessary,  as  the  beats,  or  pulsations,  will  be  imagined, 
or  felt  mentally. 

No  attempt  to  read  music  should  be  made  without  first 

observing  the  time-value  of  the  measure,  i.  e.,  ascertaining 

to 
(two  counts  or  beats  in  each  measure),  J 

(three  counts  or  beats  in  each  measure),  etc.  Also,  whether 
the  movement  is  quick,  moderate,  or  slow.  This  is  desig- 
nated by  the  movement  words  (see  page  35). 

After  being  sure  of  the  kind  of  measure  and  the  degree 
of  movement,  the  pupil  should  count  two  or  more  measures 


60  NEW  METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 

mentally,  keeping  the  counts  regular  and  in  accordance 
with  the  measure  and  the  movement,  as  indicated  by  the 
numbers  and  movement  words. 

TIME    VALUE    OF    NOTES    AND    RESTS. 

XXXI. — Always  look  at  a  note  as  having  a  time-value, 
because  that,  strictly  speaking,  is  the  office  of  the  note. 
The  position  of  the  note  on  the  staff  indicates  its  pitch. 
The  following  are  the  notes  and  rests,  and  their  values : 

(Zil.   20.) 
Whole  note.     Half  note.     Quarter  note.   Eighth  note.    Sixteenth  note.  Thirty-second  note. 

-      -        r         1        q  ^ 

Whole  rest.      Half  rest.      Quarter  rest.    Eighth  rest.    Sixteenth  rest.     Thirty-second  rest. 


4     I         [        I         I        I  11  I         I       I  ll  I       11  I 


4    I  I       I      h  I  III  ill  II 


4    I      1     I  '     I     I  '     '    ll      '    I  I         I  '     I     I  '     I     I  I       ' 


4-1    1    I   1 1      lU  'U  'k  'll     U  kiLJ   '-  ' 


k   '  \^ 


5    ^    r  ^  I*  ...        -      r    9    f\9f9^r^\f^^ 


4  1  ■  iL/-|-"'Krrirj-:ici,^ 


<5     (^ 

SI  I         i       I  I      '      I       i     i     i  I  !  !         I     1  1  1  1  i  1 


r.  r-irn-TTi,    'iaiii-qqqqq^ 


THE  ABILITY  TO   EEAD   MUSIC.  31 

Note. —  Observe  that  the  character  which  indicates  the  whole  note  rest 
is  placed  above  the  line.  That  which  indicates  the  half  note  rest  is  below 
the  line.  The  dash  of  the  quarter  note  rest  is  turned  to  the  right.  The  dash 
of  the  eighth  note  rest  is  turned  to  the  left. 

The  word  Bis.  written  over  a  measure  means  that  that 
measure  is  to  be  repeated. 


(Jii.   21.) 


fcl 


BIS.  ^N        /^BIS.^        ^BIS.' 


-.^-—(=2'. 


tut 


:^^A^a3E^: 


E^=2zi=^ 


'-^-=^ 


•I — r 


i^i: 


-M-mi 


q==|: 


1^-^- 


The  Pause  (^)  denotes  that  the  note  over  which  it 
is  written  is  to  be  prolonged.  A  Tie  {^ — ^)  connects 
two  notes  on  the  same  degree,  which  are  performed  as 
one  note. 


XXXII.-The  figures  J,   J,   J,   J,   g,   g,   j, 

S'  ^5  ^^  ^^^•'  placed  at  the  commencement  of  a 
composition,  relate  to  the  time  or  movement  of  the 
music.  For  example,  ^  means  two  quarter  notes, 
or  notes  and  rests  equivalent  in  time-value,  in  each 
measure ;  Jj  three  quarter  notes  in  each  measure, 
etc. ;  5i  two  eighth  notes  in  each  measure,  etc.  The 
lower  number  indicates  what  Jcind  of  note  has  a  beat, 
I.  e.,  if  the  numbers  are  5:,  ^^  lower  number  indicates 
that  the  beats  are  quarter  note  beats ;  if  g?  eighth  note 
beats ;  if  ^,  the  same  ;  if  ^,  the  beats  are  half  note 


32 


NEW   METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SIXGIXG. 


beats.      In  ^  time  a  whole  note  has  two  beats,  whereas 
it  usually  has  four. 


In  '-^c^-  time  there  are  twelve?  beats, 


or  counts,  each  beat  being  an  eighth  note  beat.  Some- 
times it  is  advisable  to  calculate  with  several  counts  in 
one  beat ;  for  instance,  §  time  can  be  beaten  with  two 
beats  to  each  measure  by  calculating  three  eighth  notes 
to  each  beat.  Again,  ^^z  ^^^^  ^^^  ^^  beaten  with  four 
beats  to  each  measure,  by  calculating  three  eighth  notes 
to  a  beat. 


XXXIII. —  The  notes  may  be  increased  in  number  in 
each  measure,  so  long  as  we  do  not  go  beyond  the  time- 
limit  designated  by  the  figures.  For  instance,  if  the  lime 
is  designated  ^,  we  can  write  as  follows  : 


(Ji/..  2'i.) 


etc. 


Four  quarters,     or   two  halves,  or  dotted  half  and  quarter. 


E3; 


1==]==1- 


-M-=M. 


z^rzi: 


■-■^-- 


etc. 


^ 


Note.  —  This  sign  g  is  frequently  used  instead  of  ^,    to   designate 
Common  Time. 


XXXIV. —  The  first  measure  of  a  composition  may  be 
lacking  in  time-value  ;  thus. 


{ILL.   H3.) 


THE  ABILITY   TO   READ   MUSIC.  33 

and  is  called  an  introductory  measure.  (The  last  measure 
of  the  strain  contains  the  time-value,  which  is  lacking  in 
the  first.) 

Remarks.  —  A  strain  in  music  is  eight  measures ; 
seven  besides  the  introductory  and  last  measure. 

Sometimes  tJiree  notes  are  performed  in  the  time  of  two. 
Such  a  group  is  called  a  Triplet,  and  has  the  figure  3 
placed  over  or  under  it. 


ilLT..    24.)  TRIPLETS. 


2:zz2: 


-»-»-0- 


■.*-*=^- 


HOW    TO    PRACTICE    BEATING    TIME. 

XXXY. —  In  order  to  give  each  note  its  proportionate 
time-value,  certain  motions  of  the  hand  may  be  made, 
calied  Beating  Time. 

The  whole  note  usually  occupies  the  time  and  attention 
of  the  pupil  four  beats.  Four  strokes  of  the  hand,  four 
ticks  of  the  clock,  or  any  instrument  that  can  beat  four 
regular  even  beats,  may  be  used  to  designate  the  time  of 
the  whole  note ;  two  to  designate  the  time  of  the  half  note, 
and  one,  of  the  quarter  note,  etc. 


34  NEW  METHOD   OF  SIGHT-SINGING. 

XXXVI. —  Beats  nmst  be  perfectly  even  and  regular. 
If  a  person  is  unable  to  beat  regularly,  sucli  a  one  may 
consider  that  he  is  delicient  in  this  important  part  of 
music,  and  should  practice  beating  until  much  improve- 
ment is  made.  An  excellent  way  of  acquiring  the  abil- 
ity to  beat  regularly  is  to  fix  the  attention  of  the  ear 
and  mind  on  some  mechanical  instrument  —  metronome, 
clock,  or  any  machine  that  will  give  forth  a  click  at  regu- 
lar intervals.  The  pupil  must  accustom  himself  to  beat 
time  with  the  hand,  to  correspond  with  the  beats  heard  or 
seen  Then,  after  some  progress  has  been  made,  try  to 
imagine  the  pulsations  mentally,  and  so  get  a  good  idea 
of  the  regular  even  beat. 

Double  Measure  (upper  number,  2)  has  two  beats; 
down  and  up,  accent  on  the  first.  (For  explanation  of 
accent  see  Paragraph  XXXVII.) 

Triple  Measure  (upper  number,  3)  has  three  beats; 
down,  left,  up,  accent  on  the  first. 

Quadruple  Measure  (upper  number,  4)  has  four  beats  ; 
down,  left,  right,  up,  accent  on  the  first  and  third. 

Sextuple  Measure  (upper  number,  6)  has  six  beats; 
three  down  and  three  up,  accent  on  the  first  down  and  the 
first  up. 

ACCENT. 

XXXVII. —  Another  important  point  in  connection 
with  the  above  is  to  notice  that  in  beating  time,  the 
pupil  can  imagine  certain  beats  to  be  louder,  or  stronger, 
than  others.  This  is  called  accent,  and  with  other  signs, 
determines  the  movement  of  music.     When  a  note  com- 


THE  ABILITY   TO   EEAD   MUSIC. 


35 


merices  on  an  unaccented,  and  is  continued  to  an  accented 
part  of  a  measure,  it  is  said  to  be  syncopated. 

(Jii.   25.) 


g^_^^J=^=^-=^=:|=i: 


The  words  allegro^  allegretto^  andante,  andantlno, 
largo,  larghetto,  etc.,  affect  the  movement,  and  not  the 
accent  of  music.  Thus,  ^  allegro  means  two  quick 
beats  in  each  measure  ;  ^  allegretto  means  two  beats 
in  each  measure,  but  slower  than  ^  allegro  ;  ^  andante 
means  two  beats  in  each  measure,  slower  than  when 
allegro,  or  allegretto ;  ^  andantino  is  slower  still,  etc. 
(See  table  giving  definitions  of  musical  terms  on  page  63). 


EXERCISES  IN  COUNTING  AND  BEATING  TIME. 

TO  BE  COUNTED  AUDIBLY,  ACCOMPANIED  BY  BEATINQ  WITH  THE  HAND. 


Beats.     1st,  3nd,  3d,  and  4th.     1st  &  2nd,  3d  &  4tb.     1st,  2nd,  3d,  4tb. 


SliHil^ 


^=iJ=i 


=^ 


Counts.        *  a  ^  ^  * 


1  3 

A 


3  4 


last  half 
Beats.  1st,  2nd  &  3d,  4th.    1st  &  2nd,  3d,  4tb.     1st,  2nd,  3d,  4th,  of  4th. 

qz=i=izqz=q 


---^=7- 


gk 


:i= 


liJ— z=z:J 


Counts. 


13  3 


1  3 

A 


4       13 

A 


3     4 


and 


*  Accent  mark. 


36 


NEW  METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 


last  half  last  half  last  half 

Beats.    1st  &  2nd,  of  2nd,  3d,        4th.        1st  &  2nd,  of  2nd,  3d,  4th,  of  4th. 


iill 


:=i: 


Counts. 


1  3 


and 


1  2 

A 


and     3  4 


and 


Beats.     1st, 


2nd, 


3d, 


4th. 


1st,  2nd,  3d  it  4th. 


g=ill 


^~ls     ^     |s-=^i;z=)^-:qv 


::g~^-:^ZL^-^z 


etc. 


COUKTS. 


1     and    2    and     3    and    4     and         12  3  4 


Beats.     1st,  2nd,  &  3d.     1st,  2nd,  3d.     1st,    2nd  &  3d.     1st,    2nd,    3d. 

=1— =1— =F=I==:i— =1-3 


Counts. 


12  3 


1  2 

A 


1      2  3 

A 


I  last  half  I 
Beats.     1st  &  2nd,  |  of  2nd,  1 3d.     1st,  last  half,  2nd,  last  half,  3d,  last  half. 


^  1  2 

Counts.  }^ 


3 


Beats. 


1st,        2nd. 


L4z=z- 


1st   &   2nd.         1st  &  2nd,    last  half  of  1st. 


--=^- 


~^'-r- 


w^^ 


Counts. 


1   2 

A 


1  2 

A 


and 


Beats.       1st,  1st  last  half,  2nd,  2nd  last  half. 


Counts. 


and 


and 


THE   ABILITY  TO   READ   MUSIC. 


37 


Beats.      1st,  2nd  &  3d.     1st,  2iid,  3d.      1st,   2nd  &  3d.     1st  &  2nd,  3d. 


*-"  12^ 

Counts.    ^  "^  " 


2       3 


1       2  3 

A  . 


1  2 

A 


Beats.       1st. 


2nd. 


2nd. 


i 


q^=S==s=:q*i=^=q^ 


Counts. 


g=i=^5j^^i=^ 


1st  &  2nd.         1st, 


1       2       3      4       5       6       123456      123         4       5       6 


Beats,      1st, 


:::^=ici 


2nd.  1st, 


2nd.       1st, 


2nd. 


:i=:i=^ 


:S=}v=qs=qs=i: 


ziziz^^^zzyj-^-^ 


Counts. 


12        3       456       123456        1       2       345 


6 

Beats.       1st 


Counts. 


123      456       789       123456         789 


Beats.        1st, 


2nd,  3d. 


Counts. 


123       456789 


123         4  5  6 

A 


7     8     9 


Beats.       1st, 


2nd, 


3d. 


1st  &  2nd, 


3d. 


3e;^ee3==e3=3=3: 


COU^'TS.      l^^ 


45  6 


7      8      9         123456     789 


38 


NEAV   METHOD   OF   SIGIIT-SIXGING. 


Beats.      1st  &  2ncl,     3cl.  1st,         2nd  &  3cl.       1st,  2Dd  &  3d. 


i 


12:^: 


■.=\-- 


:=1==^ 


==^= H— ==1= 

zziziza- zzzzz  ^:tf_^ ^zm 


Counts.  123456  789    123  456789   123  456789 


Beats.       1st,         2ud,       3d,        4tli.  1st,      2nd,       3d,         4th. 

Counts      ^  ^  ^    ^^^     789   10 11 12   123    456    789   10 11  12 


Beats.    1st,      2nd,      3d, 


4th. 


1st.       2nd,      3d,       4th. 


m 


^^gn 


Counts  1^3  456      7   ,8     9    10  11  12    1  2  3    4  5  6    7  8  9     10  11  12 


Beats.    1st,       2nd,       3d,        4th. 


1st, 


2nd,       3d,        4th. 


Counts. 


123     456     789     10  1112       1     2     3    456     789     10  1112 


Beats.    1st,       2nd,      3d,      4th.  1st,  2nd,         3d,         4th. 

r,  

IZ] 1 1 1 1 1 1 ; 1 F^=i=^ 


iSSsara 


mmjm 


'-'^S-^-^-^-mf- 


gn 


r-^T-^o   123456789  10  11  12    123     456     789    10  11  12 


Beats.      1st, 


2nd, 


3d, 


4th. 


etc. 


Counts, 


12     3       4     5      6 


8      9       10   11    \\ 


THE  ABILITY  TO   EEAD   MUSIC. 


EXERCISES  FOR  THE  PUPIL  TO  MARK. 

(C0NTI2sUED.) 

It  is  important  that  the  pupil  should  become  accus- 
tomed to  read  notes  written  on  the  Bass  staff. ^ 

The  rules  given  for  determining  the  position  of  the 
key-note  in  the  G  (or  Treble)  staff,  also  apply  in  the  F 
(or  Bass)  staff. 

Remark.  —  Notes  written  on  the  staff  of  the  F  clef 
represent  tones  of  tlie  lower  scales. 

^OTE— For  explanation  of  Ba^s  Staff,  see  III.  17,  h,  page  27. 

1     No  Flats  or  Sharps.     Key  of  C  Natural. 

4^ 


^^^^^^^ 


:^: 


:t=: 


■^: 


:t==]: 


=1^=:^=:^: 


2        7 
u.  sc. 


3         7         8 

LOWER    SCALE. 


2     Signature,  One  Flat.     Key,  F  Natural. 


^-r 


^1^ 


:?2=r^: 


^=^1 


2       8       4 

UPPER  SCALE. 


8       7     'e       5        4       3 


Jill 


3     Signature,  Two  Flats.     Key,  B[j. 


ta=i^iB; 


=lSii 


'=^- 


7 

L.  SC. 


^-i^^S^E^i 


This  applies  especially  to  male  voices. 


40 


NEW  METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 


4     Signature,  Three  Flats.     Koj%  Ejj;. 
8. 


-^-      7         C 


lEz{2-t:z=?3^z=t==Etz3t=-t£=tzi: 


u.  sc. 


^m^m 


5     Signature,  Four  Flats.     Key,  A  [7. 


SiiiiliM^Jiilif^iri^i 


2 

u.  sc. 


:ii^=;|ij=gEyiii^^^ji: 


HI 


L.  SC. 


G    Signature,  Five  Flats.     Key,  D^j. 


f^=ig=3i^E^liiiii^l=^ 


-2^-       3 


u.  sc. 


SI^^^E 


g=p&:^;^£|ig£E^^^r^=^=^ 


7     Signature,  Six  Flats.     Key,  Gi;. 


^fgiiiiigigaiipg^iiig^ 


^gg^^^E^ii'^^^l^^ 


THE  ABILITY  TO   EEAD   MUSIC. 


41 


8     Signature,  One  Sharp.     Key,  G. 


^=l^=lii 


:^:=^: 


8         3 
u.  sc. 


.(S:=p: 


fe^ES^il&=3^^3^2i3=3i 


^ — 3— *3.— S— ^^ — ^= 


7         6 

LOWER  SCALE. 


O     Signature,  Two  Sharps.     Key,  D. 
1 


1 1 l_i Cy. — 1-,^ C-i. 


r—:=\-- 


i^zrt=: 


:^:=^: 


±z: 


:^--^: 


■8       3 
u.  sc. 


^Sf=^=g 


;lgEil; 


1^::^=^ 


:^==^: 


:^=z^zz 


=z-^z_:z^z=^ 


^ 


10     Signature,  Three  Sharps.     Key,  A, 
1 


g  r  ^  — r 


2^z.-z^: 


:^zz:^ 


i 


-f^2_-^: 


:^ 


^==1= 


:^: 


is:^ 


1 1     Signature,  Four  Sharps.     Key,  E. 
1 


m. 


m±E^ 


:^: 


:^=^: 


:^: 


-p2_ 


:^: 


:^: 


8         3 

u.  sc. 


ge^^^^^^g^i 


^HZ^-^-. 


x=--=t 


42  ]^EW   METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 

12     Signature,  Five  Sharps.     Key.  B. 

-I 


fe=I^Slgfe| 


t=\-- 


^-^- 


m—t 


:^-^. 


^ — r- 


'^^^^^^^^^^^ 


13     Signature,  Six  Sharps.     Key,  F  J. 


:m:i3^S=^: 


?2: 


^=t: 


tz-^-- 


■m-^: 


^ 


?2: 


:^: 


~r^^~^i* 


S 


1^ 


'^^3=^= 


-^- 


ti^: 


^ 


1=q: 


2^=::^ 


■^-:^—'~^-^- 


PART     SECOND. 


THE  ABILITY  TO  SING  THE  TONES  READ. 

The  melody  and  harmonj  of  music,  or,  in  other  words, 
the  musical  idea  of  the  composer,  is  represented  by  notes 
which  have  two  distinct  values ;  namely,  time  and  pitch. 
Time  is  represented  by  the  different  kinds  of  notes  :  whole, 
half,  quarter,  eighth,  sixteenth,  and  dotted  notes  ;  and 
rests,  dotted  rests,  etc. 

Pitch,  by  the  notes  being  placed  on  different  lines  and 
spaces  of  the  staff.  Reading  music  at  sight  consists  in 
reproducing  the  composer's  idea  from  the  notes  thus 
written. 

K  the  pupil  has  been  thorough  in  his  practice  of  the 
foregoing  exercises,  and  can  readily  comprehend  the  scale 
numbers  of  the  notes,  the  following  instructions  as  to 
HOW  TO  PEACTicE,  in  Order  to  sing  the  pitch  of  tones  as 
fast  as  we  read  them,  will  be  found  very  valuable : 

k  Every  tone  we  hear  is  caused  by  a  greater  or  lesser 
number  of  vibrations.  A  greater  number  of  vibrations 
causes  a  tone  of  high  pitch ;  a  lesser  number,  causes  a 
tone  of  low  pitch. 

Those  who  have  a  sensitive  ear  for  music,  can  repro- 
duce, with  their  voice,  a  tone  that  they  hear.  Some 
persons  are  very  quick  in  this  respect,  and  others  are 
not  so  quick.    But  all  can  cultivate  the  sense  of  hearing, 


44  NEW  METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 

and  those  who  at  first  are  unable  to  notice  any  difference 
in  the  pitch  of  different  tones,  can,  by  the  right  manner 
of  practising,  become  able  to  designate  and  reproduce  the 
tones  tliey  hear. 

Tliose  whom  nature  has  furnished  with  the  requisite 
capabilities,  liave  an  advantage  over  the  less  gifted. 
Success  to  those  so  favored  will  be  comparatively  easy. 

A  very  important  part  to  be  considered  is  the  training 
of  the  ear  to  distinguish  readily  betw^een  tones  of  different 
pitch,  and  to  be  able  to  reproduce  the  tone.  A  person 
who  is  unable  to  reproduce  a  tone  made  by  a  piano, 
organ,  or  any  musical  instrument,  should  certainly  seek 
the  advice  and  assistance  of  a  patient  teacher,  as  such  a 
learner  could  not  make  any  progress  alone. 

XXXyill. — If  the  meaning  of  the  word  scale,  as  used 
musicall}^,  is  understood,  produce  with  the  voice  a  low 
tone,  taking  the  pitch  from  the  piano,  or  other  musical 
instrument,  and  use  the  syllable  La.  Produce  a  smooth 
tone,  and  proceed  to  siiig  the  scale  ascending — 1,  2,  3,  4, 
5,  6,  7,  8,  and  descending — 8,  7,  6,  5,  4,  3,  2,  1.  Repeat 
this  exercise,  always  trying  to  do  it  better  each  time. 

Then  sing  the  lowest  note  of  the  scale,  immediately 
followed  by  the  highest.  This  is  called  singing  the  octave 
note,  or  eighth  note,  of  the  scale. 

Practice  this  until  it  becomes  familiar.  Then  begin 
with  the  lowest  note  and  sing  to  the  seventh  of  the  scale. 
Try  to  fix  in  mind  the  note  you  are  studying,  which,  in 
this  case,  would  be  the  seventh  of  the  scale.  Sing  the 
low  note,  and  immediately  afterward,  sing  the  seventh. 
Practice  it  until  it  becomes  familiar. 


THE  ABILITY   TO   SIXG   THE   TOXES   EEAD. 


45 


XXXIX. — Proceed  in  this  matmer  with  each  tone  of 
the  scale,  and  practice  until  all  the  tones  become  familiar. 

XL. — When  the  tones  of  the  first  octave  are  mastered, 
proceed  to  study  the  tones  of  the  upper  octave,  and 
become  able  to  sing  from  the  lowest  tone  of  the  first 
octave  to  the  first,  second,  third,  fourth,  fifth,  sixth, 
seventh,  and  eighth  tones  of  the  second  octave. 


(JXr.  26.) 


m 


:=g: 


:^ 


isi^zzid 


-^^ 


:?2: 


:^: 


:^: 


icz: 


XLI.  —  Also  become  able  to  sing  from  tones  in  the 
middle  scale  to  tones  in  the  lower  scale. 


567   (l)   234567   \8/   2345 


© 


Lower  Scale.    Middt-e  Scale. 


Upper  Scale. 


(ILL. 


:^^=f- 


$ 


^^:: 


22: 


^==i 


^-^ 


Eemarks.  —  Each  tone  of  the  scale  has  a  character 
peculiar  to  itself.  For  instance,  the  first  tone  of  the  scale, 
or  key-note,  is  easily  felt  and  recognized  by  beginners, 
as  is  also  the  eighth  note  of  the  scale,  which  is  the  same 


46  NEW   METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 

note  repeated  an  octave  higher,  and  is  also  the  key-note 
in  a  higher  position  on  the  staff. 

The  seventh  tone  has  a  peculiar  character  when  sounded 
alternately  witli  the  key-note,  which  renders  it  easily  recog- 
nized and  produced.  This  is  so  of  each  interval  or  note 
of  the  scale. 


SUG^G-ESTIOlSrS. 

The  pupil  should  practice  the  tones  of  the  scale,  accord- 
ing to  instructions  on  page  44,  until  they  can  be  produced 
with  the  syllable  "La"  as  quickly  as  the  mind  conceives 
the  scale  number  of  the  note  to  be  sung.  An  excellent 
plan  for  practice  is  to  write  the  Numbers  of  the  Scale  : 

Then  take  a  pitch  convenient  for  the  voice.  After  hav- 
ing sung  the  scale  ascending  and  descending  suflSciently 
to  fix  the  pitch  perfectly,  proceed  to  point  with  a  pencil 
to  the  different  numbers.  It  will  be  found  possible  to 
produce  the  tones  thus  indicated  ;  using  the  syllable 
"La''  for  every  tone  produced. 

Some  of  the  intervals  will  be  found  very  easy  to  learn. 
For  instance,  from  1  to  8  is  easy ;  from  8  to  2  is  more  diffi- 
cult. In  the  latter  instance,  the  cause  of  the  pupil's 
difficulty  is  an  insufficient  acquaintance  with  the  character 
of  the  second  tone  of  the  scale.  Therefore,  this  interval 
should  be  studied  until  mastered. 

In  studying  any  interval  not  understood,  always  begin 
with  the  key-note,  or  One^  and  sing  up  to  the  tone  to  be 


THE  ABILITY  TO   SIIS^G  THE  TOXES   EEAD. 


47 


studied.  After  having  reached  the  tone,  sing  it  alternately 
with  the  key-note.  In  this  way,  every  tone  in  the  scale 
can  be  mastered  in  a  short  time. 

XLII. — The  most  common  variation  from  the  arrange- 
ment of  tones  as  they  are  found  in  the  Diatonic  Scale,  is 
to  flat  the  seventh,  called  a  minor  seventh.  See  111.  34. 
This  interval  is  very  easUy  learned. 

Another  variation  is  to  sharp  the  fourth  (see  TIL  33), 
called  an  augmented  fourth.  This  interval  is  also  easily 
learned. 

Other  changes  come  properly  under  the  head  of  Major, 
Minor,  and  Augmented  Intervals  (see  page  58). 

Note.  —  The  pupil  sJiould  keep  in  mind  tlie  character  and  position 
of  the  octave  of  the  key-note.  This  will  help  him  to  determine  the  charajcters 
and  positions  of  the  scale  numbers. 


EXERCISES      FOR      PRACTICE 
USING  SYLLABLE   '*LA"   FOR  EACH  NOTE. 


■zA=z 


1=-- 


2^; 


2=^ 


1^:2=1: 


La,        La,  La,     etc. 


ill 


?2: 


■x± 


2 

— 1  -j- 

1 1 

-^ ^- 

=^    ^ 

— 1 

c a 

i4±i=J 

^.-^ 

^-t= 

y-^ 

-&- 

Note. —  When  there  are  no  flats  or  sharps  as  the  signature,  the  compo- 
sition 18  in  the  Key  of  C  B,  i.  e.,  One  is  on  the  first  added  line  below. 


48 


NEW   METHOD   OF  SIGHT-SINGING. 


3 


-^-^  :^=?2z  1^=:  -^=^ 


iH 


^-*w^ 


t=t: 


^-  -^ 


4       Key  of  D. 


-tZ2^: 


:^=^ 


?2: 


La,       La,       La,     etc. 


-Mz= 


;=fe^=P2rr 


:z==i=::g. 


=s^=t:^ 


i^ 


Note.  —  If  the  pupil  is  practising  witliout  an  instrument,  let  him  take, 
as  the  beginning  of  a  new  scale,  the  second  tone  in  the  scale  used  in 
Exercise  1. 


:?2i:^:^ 


}=t 


-&- 


22=^ 


^-=^- 


•2^-^: 


6 


3a"fSE? 


■m.-=x 


T^ 


P-^ 


T^'- 


-^-- 


::4: 


--^ 


7        Key  of  E. 


:iiz8zli4: 


:4=^ 


.^=:=^z=Pz=: 


:t=: 


Note. —  Tnke  the  second  tone  in  scale  used  in  Exercises  4,  5,  6,  as  first 
tone  of  scale  of  E. 


^ 


:i=?2: 


J ruin-, 3 


THE  ABLLITY   TO   SIXG  THE   TOXES   EEAD. 


49 


__^  ^— , ■ 

-           

1 ' 1 

>^._^_r'_ 1 1 . 

'~z\ — ^^ 

— ^ ' 

1         — 1 

L^. r^ tJ 1 

1 ^ cJ 

^            ^ 

9 


i::z?z4: 


■4— 5 \z 


W=f^ 


=^^=^ 


mmm. 


1~ 


-^■ 


1=1^=^ 


<!^ q 


lO      Key  of  F. 


gin^^i^g^ 


[iE£i^ 


11      Key  of  G. 


-A: S 1— ^- 


T*- — «9'  F" 


iszz: 


W=MZ^ 


'^===^^^qM^~^^9Zi^-^^ 


*  When  two  notes  are  connected  by  the  character  called  a  Tie,  they  are 
to  be  sung  as  one  tone. 


60 


NEW  METHOD   OF  SIGHT-SINGING. 


12    Key  of  A. 


^^- 


:4z=^zz=b^z=:^: 


■2^ 


:^ 


=E3z7-tc^zz:*: 


1=1: 


i^ 


:]=q=F=l 


2^: 


:«t±^ 


5=:^:q=:^= 


-I — -1 


Hiziz: 


:s^ 


-2^—^' 


13     The  same  written  on  the  Bass  staff  an  octave  lower. 


:^2=zp: 


:^zz=::^izi 


F=I=F^=F^=^ 


g=^fe^ 


E^ 


:^=P: 


:?2; 


?2=p: 


^ 


:^: 


m 


14    Key  of  B. 


-M. 


'^Ti -5^ 1 hi 1 


■=Bz-M 


re-=M: 


-^---^-- 


15     Key  of  Cj^,  in  reality,  so  far  as  reading  music  is  concerned,  is 
the  same  as  No.  14  (B  Natural). 


16    KeyofDj?. 


te=^ 


^^ 


■:t 


:=|: 


:!= 


:p=^: 


1=^==1: 


■•'-^-c^ 


1 7     The  same  written  on  the  Bass  staff  an  octave  lower. 


>z^=izB--^- 


fee^:4=2^ 


tzzip: 


^^^: 


tt=t: 


:t=: 


§ 


18     Key  of  E^. 


^=::^= 


THE  ABILITY  TO  SING  THE  TONES  READ. 


61 


L7=^=i=i: 


^3=^; 


--:=\=- 


■■c^ 


19    The  same  written  on  the  Bass  staff  8va.  lower. 


:^: 


1=4 


:^=: 


I 


-^■=^- 


-1=.-=M-. 


t=tzt 


:=?=: 


122: 


20    Key  of  F  [7,  so  far  as  reading  music  is  concerned,  is  the  same 
as  Key  of  E  Natural. 


21     KeyofGb. 


U 


^Mf^?S^^= 


'-W-^-B- 


^: 


-i'-±=e.-w=.-ir::ic:±=i=M 


^x=x 


J— 1—1— Tv: 


L*-^ititl3??zatz9=S;;z: 


23    Key  of  A(,. 


f|^ 


j=-=J*:-» 


ig?!^-t^: 


-taiiita 


V-" 


t=^ 


i 


23    Key  of  B I?. 


«j 


=T: 


•it=i=ii^: 


i^S^3-i 


t=r 


^E3 


^s==^. 


v^=rT^- 


■X=^=3t. 


■ft=w- 


t2=tt 


I 


62  NEW   METHOD   OF  SIGHT-SINGING. 

24     The  same  written  on  the  Bass  staff  8va.  lower. 


XLIII. — If  the  practice  of  exercises  like  the  foregoing 
is  thorough,  it  will  not  be  difficult  for  the  pupil  to  sing 
new  music  at  sight  in  any  key  or  scale,  for  when  the  tones 
of  the  scale  of  one  key  are  mastered,  the  tones  of  all 
similar  scales  in  all  keys  are  mastered,  as  all  diatonic 
scales  are  relatively  alike,  regardless  of  which  line  or 
space  the  first  tone  of  the  scale  is  placed  upon. 

It  is  advisable  for  the  pupil  to  become  very  proficient 
in  the  ability  to  read  and  sing  the  exercises  thus  far 
explained,  before  attempting  difficult  passages. 

Note.  —  For  practice,  tJie  pupil  need  not  he  confined  t<>  the  Exercises 
given  in  this  work,  but  may  use  any  musical  composition  at  hand. 

LEAEN    TO    READ    MUSIC    READILY. 

XLiy.— By  the  mere  mathematical  process  of  learning 
to  comprehend  the  scale-number  of  the  notes  and  their 
relaticm  as  intervals  to  each  other,  any  one  may  learn  to 
read  music.  But  it  is  quite  another  thing  to  sing  the 
intei-vals  read,  since  it  requires  a  good  memory  of  the 
tones  of  the  scale  and  their  pitch  relations. 

Remark.— The  foregoing  exercises  in  scale  and  interval 
practice  are  in  the  Major  (or  Diatonic)  Scale.     There  is 


THE   ABILITY   TO   SIXG  THE  NOTES   EEAD.  5Q 

another  arrangement  of  tones  which  is  called  the  Minor 
Scale,  and  is  frequently  used. 

Note. — It  is  necessary  to  thoroughly  understand  the  Major  Scale,  before 
beginning  the  study  of  the  Minor  JScale. 


THE     MUSTOR      SCALE. 

XLV.  —  Every  Major  Scale,  or  Key,  has  its  relative 
Minor  Scale,  or  Key.  The  sixth  tone  of  every  Major 
Scale  is  the  first  tone  of  its  relative  Minor  Scale. 

It  is  necessary  for  the  vocalist  to  become  familiar  with 
the  Minor  Scale,  so  that  he  may  be  able  to  tell,  by  the 
progression  of  the  tones  met  in  -  a  composition,  when  the 
Major  Mode  has  for  a  time  given  place  to  the  Minor. 

The  following  is  the  order  of  the  intervals  in  the  Minor 
Scale,  or  Mode. 


Melodic 
Minor  Scale- 
ascending. 


Compare  with  the  Major  (or  Diatonic)  Scale  on  page  11, 
and  note  the  difference. 

(ILL.   29.) 

H.    W.  &H.     H.      W.       W.       H.       W. 

Harmonic       i     7  "^  vl^- 

Minor  Scale — 
descending. 


(Z£X. 

28.) 

w. 

H. 

W. 

W. 

W.        W.       H. 

-^- 

— 1 

-^ 

— ^^ — 

-& — 

rj 



A 

\^)                                                                                                                                 1 

J 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6           7 

8 

i 


XLYI. — A  Major  Scale  and  its  relative  Minor  have  the 
same  signature.    How  can  we  decide,  then,  by  the  sigiia- 


54 


NEW   METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 


ture,  whether  the  key  is  Major  or  Minor  ?  If  the  Bass 
note  is  No.  6  of  the  Major  Scale,  as  indicated  by  the 
signature,  the  harmony  is  in  the  relative  Minor  Key. 


Signature— Natural. 
Key  of  A  Minor,  be- 
cause Bass  note  is  A, 
which  is  the  sixth  tone 
in  the  Scale  of  C.  When 
the  sixth  tone  of  the 
Major  Scale  is  written 
as  a  Bass  note,  the  mu- 
sic is  in  the  relative 
Minor  Key,  and  takes 
the  latter  name  accord- 
ingly. A  Minor  is  the 
relative  Minor  Key  of 
C  Major. 


Sig.  —  One  Sharp. 
Key  of  E  Minor,  be- 
cause E  is  the  sixth 
tone  in  the  scale  of 
one  sharp,  G,  and  E 
being  written  as  a  Bass 
note,  the  key  takes  the 
name  of  E  Minor.  E 
Minor  is  the  relative 
Minor  Key  of  G  Major. 


Sig.— Two  Sharps. 
Key  of  B  Minor. 
Explanation  the 
same.  B  Minor  is 
the  relative  Minor 
Key  of  D  Major. 


Sig.— Three  Sharps. 
Key  of  F$  Minor,  be- 
cause FJ  is  the  sixth 
tone  in  the  scale  of 
three  sharps,  A,  con- 
sequently, F  sharp 
being  written  as  the 
Bass  note.  The  key 
is  called  FJI  Minor, 
F|  Minor  is  the  rela- 
tive Minor  Key  of  A 
Major,  etc. 


Note.  —  The  above  applies  to  the  first  Bass  note  in  a  measure,  or  in 
an  accented  part  of  measure,  and  not  to  the  introductory  measure.  The 
rule  for  determinijig  whether  the  harmony  of  a  composition  is  in  the  Major 
or  Minor  Key  is  the  same  in  every  Key. 


Remarks. — The  fact  that  the  Minor  Mode  is  used  less 
frequently  in  music  than  the  Major  Mode,  accounts  for  its 
strangeness  to  the  pupil.  This  difficulty  will  easily  be 
overcome  by  practice. 

The  pupil  sliould  accustom  himself  to  distinguish 
between  the  character  of  Major  and  Minor  chords  as  he 
hears  them  played  on  the  piano  or  organ. 


THE  ABILITY  TO   SIXG  THE  NOTES   EEAD. 


55 


By  the  preceding  Illustration  we  can  tell  readily  (by 
the  position  of  the  Bass-note)  whether  the  chord  is  Major 
or  Minor. 

When  the  pupil  has  become  proficient  in  the  abilit}^  to 
produce  the  intervals  of  the  Minor  Scale,  let  him  proceed 
to  the  practice  of  the  Chromatic  Scale. 


THE      CHROMATIC      SCALE. 

It  requires  much  practice  to  produce  this  scale  and 
keep  every  tone  in  perfect  tune.  The  ability  to  do  this  is 
acquired  only  by  much  application  and  study. 


XLYII  — Explanation  of  the  Cheomatic  Scale. — 
The  formation  of  the  Diatonic  Scale,  as  explained  on 
page  11,  is  as  follows  :  Between  the  intervals  1  and  2, 
2  and  3,  4  and  5,  5  and  6,  6  and  7  is.  a  whole  tone 
in  pitch.  Between  the  intervals  3  and  4,  and  7  and  8 
is  a  half  tone  in  pitch.  There  is  between  the  intervals 
1  and  2  a  tone  called  a  semi-tone  (half  tone),  which  is 
not  used  in  the  Diatonic  Scale.  There  are  also  semi- 
tones between  the  intervals  2  and  3,  4  and  5,  5  and  6, 
6  and  7. 

When  use  is  made  of  all  these  tones,  the  scale  is  called 
Chromatic,  and  is  as  follows  : 

{IT.L.   31.) 


C       CiiD       D^EFF^GGifA       A:fBC 

1      rji     2     t:2     3    4 


56  NEW   METHOD   OF   SIGHT -SINGING. 

As  remarked  at  the  beginning  of  this  subject,  it  is  the 
most  difficult  to  execute  of  the  three  scales,  and  requires 
most  careful  study,  and  should  not  be  attempted  until  the 
first  exercises  are  joractised  and  well  understood. 

The  Chromatic  Scale  is  most  frequently  used  in  Operatic 
Music,  and  its  mastery  is  a  mark  of  great  cultivation. 

XLYIII.  —  The  Chromatic  Scale  consists  of  thirteen 
tones,  each  a  semi-tone  from  that  which  precedes  it. 


MODULATION. 

XLIX.  —  The  key  is  frequently  changed  during  the 
progress  of  a  composition.  This  change  is  called  Modu- 
lation, and  is  produced  in  various  ways  ;  one  of  which 
is  to  change  the  fourth  of  a  given  key  by  raising  it  a 
half  tone. 

{ILL.   32.) 


IMt^EM^'E^^I^^E-^-^-^ 


=1:=i: 


— r- 


Starting  in  the  Key  of  G  Major,  in  the  second  measure 
of  111.  32,  the  C  (which  is  the  fourth  tone  of  the  scale)  is 
raised  by  the  accidental  (tt),  or  half  tone.  The  four  then 
becomes  a  leading  tone  or  seven  (as  seven  is  a  leading 
tone  in  every  k(;y),  and  leads  to  eight.  Eight  being  the 
tonic,  we  are  then  in  the  Key  of  D  Major. 

Another  way  is  to  flat  the  seventh,  the  seventh  then 
becomes  a  fourth. 


THE  ABILITY   TO   SING  THE  T0:N^ES   READ.  57 

{ILL.  33.) 


Starting  in  the  Key  of  C  Major,  in  the  fourth  measure 
the  seven  is  flatted.  It  then  becomes  four  of  the  Key 
of  F  Major. 

Other  modulations  are  frequent ;  but,  if  the  pupil  has 
mastered  the  tones  of  the  Diatonic  Scale,  it  will  be  possible 
to  determine  the  key-note,  or  tonic,  at  any  part  of  the 
composition,  from  a  knowledge  of  its  character. 

L. — As  remarked  on  page  45,  every  tone  of  a  scale  has 
a  character  peculiar  to  itself,  and  it  should  be  the  pupil's 
aim  to  become  acquainted  with  these  distinctive  character- 
istics possessed  by  the  tones. 

LI.  —  The  tonic,  or  first  tone  of  a  scale  and  its  octave 
(the  eighth^  are  the  easiest  to  comprehend,  because  their 
character  is  the  strongest;  hence,  the  name  tonic.  The 
fifth,  the  characteristic  of  which  the  pupil  can  learn  by 
sounding  the  tone  alternately  with  the  tonic,  is  also  easily 
mastered.  The  third,  fourth,  sixth,  and  seventh  can  be 
learned  by  a  similar  process.  Minor,  Augmented,  and 
Diminished  Intervals,  as  on  page  58,  should  also  be 
practiced  in  the  same  manner. 


Note. —  The  pupil  may  knoio  by  the  introduction  of  the  characters,  5, 
t2,  t,  as  explained  on  page  10,  that  the  key  is  changing  or  modulating. 


58 


NEW  METHOD   OF   SIGHT-SINGING. 


inSTTEI^VALS 


MAJOR,   MINOR,  AUGMENTED,   AND  DIMINISHED. 

{ILT..   34.) 


Primes.  Seconds. 

Perfect.  Augmented.     '        Major.  Minor.  Augmented. 


-^- 


-^- 


z)z::=i: 


::t- 


-P^ 


I 


Major. 


Thirds. 

Minor.        Diminished. 


Perfect. 


Fourths. 

Augmented.     Diminished. 


i 


Hii^: 


:4 


-€^ 


W-- 


=«: 


^ 


=Ct*: 


Fifths. 
Perfect.         Augmented.    Diminished. 


Major. 


Sixths. 

Minor.         Augmented. 


^ii 


a? 


:22: 


d?*z 


tr 


Major. 


Sevenths. 

Minor. 


Diminished. 


-S>- 


-<^- 


i^ 


Octaves. 
Perfect.  Diminished. 


1221 


Minor  and  Augmented  intervals,  occurring  in  a  com- 
position, may  be  mastered  by  either  of  two  methods : 

1st.  The  same  as  is  employed  in  the  study  of  the  tones 
and  intervals  of  the  Diatonic  Scale.  Namely,  by  pro- 
ducing, alternately  with  the  Tonic,  the  tone  which  is  being 
studied.  The  Tonic,  or  Key-note,  can  be  followed  through 
a  modulation,  from  a  knowledge  of  its  strong  character. 

2nd.   By  the  practice  in  singing  of  Minor  and  Aug- 


THE  ABILITY  TO  SINQ  THE  TONES   BEAD. 


59 


mented  intervals,  taking  the  tone  preceeding  the  one  to  be 
sung  as  a  point  from  which  to  calculate. 

Each  Augmented  or  Minor  interval  has  its  peculiar 
character. 

LII. — Particular  attention  should  he  given  to  the  study 
of  distances  between  tones,  that  the  pupil  may  know  when 
the  interval  is  Major  (natural),  Minor,  Augmented,  or 
Diminished. 

TABLE    SHOWING    THE    HUM3ER    OF     SEMI-TOITES    mCLUDED     IN    EACH 

INTERVAIi. 


UAJOR. 

MINOR. 

NAME  OP  INTEEVAIi. 

NO.   OP  SE]inT0NE3 
INCLUDED. 

NAME  OP  INTEUVAIi. 

NO.   OP  SE1IIT0NE3 
INCLUDED. 

Second. 

Third. 

Fourth. 

Fifth. 

Sixth. 

Seventh. 

Eighth. 

3 
5 
6 

8 
10 
12 
13 

Second. 
Third. 
Sixth. 
Seventh. 

2 

4 

9 

11 

AUGMENTED. 

DIMINISHED. 

NAME   OP  INTERVAL. 

NO.   OF  SEMITONES 
INCLUDED. 

NAME   OP  INTERVAL. 

NO.   OP  SEMITONES 
INCLUDED. 

First. 

Second. 

Fourth. 

Fifth. 

Sixth. 

2 
4 
7 
9 
11 

Third. 

Fourth. 

Fifth. 

Seventh. 

Octave. 

3              1 

5 

7 
10 
12 

60  NEW   METHOD   OF   SIGIIT-SIXGING. 


OTHER  SIGNS  USED  IN   WRITING  MUSIC. 

LIII. — A  loud  tone  is  distinguislied  thus—/,  or  ff, 

A  soft  tone  thus — p^  or  pp. 

A  tone  that  is  to  be  commenced  soft,  and  gradually 
increased,  is  distinguislied  thus  :  -=: ;  this  sign  is  called 
the  crescendo. 

A  tone  that  is  to  be  commenced  loud,  and  gradually 
decreased,  is  designated  thus :  ==-  ;  this  sign  is  called 
the  diminuendo, 

LIV.  —  A  union  of  the  crescendo  and  diminuendo  is 
called  a  swell  (-==-). 

LY .  —  A  very  short  tone,  produced  with  force  and 
immediately  diminished,  is  called  an  explosive  tone, 
farzando,  or  sometimes  sforzando  {fz.,  sf.,  or  >). 

LYI. — Staccato  (»  »  0  marTcs  denote  that  a  passage  is  to 
be  performed  in  a  short,  distinct  manner. 

(ILL.  35.) 
Written  : 

Performed : 


IW^^=^=^^=^^ 


V 

LVII- — Lef/ato  means  smooth  and  connected,  the  oppo- 
site of  staccato. 


REVIEW. 


There  are  several  paragraphs  in  the  preceding  pages 
which  it  would  be  profitable  for  the  pupil  to  dwell  upon. 
One  of  the  most  important  of  these  is  on  page  17,  Para- 
graph XX,  which  sets  forth  the  necessity  of  acquiring  the 
habit  of  reading  the  intervals  before  singing  them. 

The  pupil  need  not  be  confined,  for  practice,  to  the  few 
exercises  given  for  marking  in  this  work,  but  may  use  any 
musical  composition  or  singing-book.  This  marking-prac- 
tice should  be  continued  until  the  pupil  has  fixed  the 
habit  of 'mentally  detennining  the  scale  number  of  each 
note  in  a  composition,  before  attempting  to  sing  the  tones 
which  these  numbers  represent. 

The  pupil  must  always  look  at  a  note  as  having  a  time- 
value,  and  should  give  thorough  practice  to  the  exercises 
for  developing  the  ability  to  beat  time  correctly,  acccording 
to  the  instructions  given  on  pages  33  and  34. 

In  order  that  the  pupil  may  become  acquainted  with 
the  peculiar  character  of  each  interval  of  the  Diatonic 
Scale,  a  careful  study  of  these  tones  is  essential.  See 
page  11. 

After  the  tones  of  the  Diatonic  Scale  have  been  mas- 
tered, the  pupil  must  proceed  to  the  study  of  Minor, 
Augmented,  and  Diminished  Intervals.     See  page  58. 

From  Paragraphs  X  to  XVIII  the  object  is  to  show 
the  use  of  sharps  and  flats  when  written  as  a  signature. 
After  the  pupil  has  found  the  position  of  the  key-note,  he 
need  take  no  further  notice  of  the  sharps  and  flats  in  any 
signature.  Of  course,  when  the  sharps,  flats,  and  naturals 
occur  as  accidentals  they  must  be  observed. 


62  REVIEW. 

Very  little  is  written  in  this  book  directly  on  the  sub- 
ject of  transposition,  since  the  object  has  been  to  make 
plain,  by  a  new  method,  what  pupils  have  hitherto  found 
diificult  to  understand.  From  the  instructions  given  on 
page  20  it  will  be  easy  to  determine  the  position  of  the 
key-note,  be  the  signature  what  it  may. 

No  Exercises  for  Practice  in  the  Minor  Mode,  or  in 
Modulation,  are  given,  as  it  has  been  thought  unneces 
sary.  A  mastery  of  the  subject  of  Minor,  Augmented,  and 
Diminished  Intervals,  together  with  a  knowledge  of  the 
difference  between  the  Minor  and  Major  Scale,  will  en- 
able the  pupil  to  overcome  any  difficulties  which  present 
themselves. 

The  pupil  must  persevere,  and  not  get  discouraged  if 
he  should  not  find  it  easy  to  immediately  get  all  the  tones 
in  a  composition.  So  long  as  he  learns  in  the  early  stages 
of  his  study  to  comprehend  and  produce  some  of  the  notes 
and  the  tones  which  they  represent,  he  need  feel  greatly 
encouraged,  for  diligent  practice  will  soon  bring  to  him 
the  others. 

With  application  and  intelligence  the  pupil,  by  means 
of  the  instructions  contained  in  this  method,  will  soon 
become  able  to  sustain  a  part  in  vocal  concerted  music, 
or  to  read  any  vocal  music  at  sight  without  depending 
upon  an  instrument,  or  another  voice,  as  a  guide. 

As  this  work  is  intended  for  use  as  an  instruction 
book,  and  not  as  a  singing-book,  no  musical  composi- 
tions are  given  herein. 

The  foregoing  remarks  contain  the  essence  of  the  theory 
of  reading  and  singhig  at  sight.  For  practical  instructions 
and  illustnitions,  the  pupil  is  referred  back  to  the  subject- 
matter  of  this  book. 


PRINCIPAL     TERMS 


\^OC^L     MUSIC. 


Accelerando,  with  gradually  increasing  rapidity  of  movement. 

Accent,  a  stress,  or  forcible  expression  placed  upon  a  note  to  show  its  place 

and  relative  importance  in  the  bar. 
Accompaniment,  a  part  added  to  a  principal,  by  way  of  increasing  the  effect 

of  the  composition. 
Acoustics,  from  the  Greek,  denoting  the  science  of  sound. 
Adagio,  very  slow  and  expressive,  admitting  of  much  grace  and  embellishment. 
Adagio  Assai,  or  Molto,  extremely  slow  and  expressive. 
Affettuoso,  with  pathos  and  tenderness. 
Agitato  un  Poco,  with  slight  agitation. 
Air  Varie,  an  air  with  variations. 
AiiLA  Marcia,  in  the  military  or  march  style. 
Allegretto,  with  quickness,  but  not  so  quick  as  Allegro. 
Allegro,  quick,  lively.     A  terra  implying  a  rapid  and  vivacious  movement, 

but  which  is  frequently  modified  by  the  addition  of  other  words. 
Allegro  Agitato,  quick,  with  anxiety  and  agitation. 
Allegro  Assai,  very  quick. 
Allegro  con  Brio,  quick,  with  brilliancy. 
Allegro  con  Spirito,  quick,  with  spirit. 
Allegro  ma  non  Troppo,  quick,  but  not  to  excess. 
Al  Segno,  signifies  that  the  performer  must  return  to  a  similar  character  in 

the  course  of  the  movement,  and  sing  from  that  place  to  the  word  fine. 
Alt,  a  term  applied  to  those  notes  which  lie  between  F  on  the  fifth  line  in  the 

treble  stave,  and  G  on  the  fourth  ledger  line  above. 
A  Mezza  Voce,  in  a  moderate  or  subdued  tone. 
Amoroso,  a  word  from  which   the  performer  learns  that  the  movement  to 

which  it  is  prefixed  should  be  performed  in  a  soft  and  tender  style. 
Andante    a  slow  and  distinct  movement. 
Andante  Cantabile,  slow  and  in  a  singing  style. 
Andante  con  Moto,  slow  and  with  emotion. 
Andante  non  Troppo,  slow,  but  not  in  excess. 
Andantino,  a  little  slower  than  a7?<Za//^e. 
Animato,  with  animation ;  in  a  spirited  manner. 


64  PRINCIPAL   TERMS   USED   IN   VOCAL   MUSIC. 

Anthem,  a  composition  in  the  sacred  style,  tlie  words  of  wliich  are  generally 
i-elocted  from  tlie  Psalms. 

Antipiione,  responses  made  by  one  part  of  the  choir  to  another,  or  by  the  con- 
gregation to  the  priest,  in  the  Roman  Catholic  divine  service. 

A  PiACERE,  at  the  discretion  of  the  performer. 

A  Poco  A  Poco,  by  little  and  little  ;  proceeding  by  degrees. 

A  Poco  piu  Lento,  a  little  slower. 

A  Poco  PIU  Mosso,  a  little  quicker. 

Appassionato,  with  intensity  and  depth  of  feeling. 

Appoggiatura,  a  note  of  embellishment  or  grace,  generally  written  in  a 
small  character. 

Aria,  an  air  or  song. 

Aria  Buffa,  a  comic  air. 

Aria  di  Bravura,  an  air  requiring  great  volubility  of  execution. 

Arietta,  a  short  air  or  melody. 

Arioso,  in  the  style  of  an  air ;  vocal,  melodious. 

Arrangement,  that  extension,  or  selection  and  disposal  of  the  movements 
and  parts  of  a  composition  which  fit  and  accommodate  it  to  the  powers  of 
some  voice  or  voices  for  which  it  was  not  originally  designed. 

Articulato,  to  be  enounced  with  distinct  articulation. 

AssAi,  very  ;  as  presto  assai,  very  quick. 

A.SS0LUT0,  alone. 

A  Tempo,  in  time.  Used  to  denote  that  the  performer  must  return  to  the 
original  degree  of  movement. 

Augmented,  an  epithet  applied  to  such  intervals  as  are  more  than  major  or 
perfect. 

A  Vista,  at  sight ;  a  prima  vista,  at  sight. 

Bar,  lines  drawn  across  the  stave  to  divide  the  music  into  small  portions  of 

equal  duration  ;  each  of  these  small  portions  is  also  called  a  har. 
Barcarolle,  an  air  in  the  Venetian  style  ;  a  gondolied  or  boat  song. 
Baritone,  a  male  voice,  intermediate,  in  respect  to  pitch,  between  the  bass 

and  the  tenor  voices. 
Bass,  or  Base,  the  lowest  part  in  music. 

Beating  Time,  marking  the  divisions  of  the  bar  by  means  of  the  hand  or  foot. 
Ben  Marcato,  well  marked.     Indicating  that  the  passage  must  be  executed 

in  a  clear,  strongly  accented  manner. 
Bis.  twice.     Indicating  that  a  passage,  distinguished  by  a  curve  drawn  over 

or  under  it,  must  be  performed  twice. 
Bravura,  a  composition  demanding  great  power  and  facility  of  execution. 
Braces,  curved  or  straight  lines,  indicating  that  the  notes  which  they  connect 

are  to  be  ])layed  or  sung  together. 
Breve,  a  note  double  the  length  of  the  semi-breve. 
Biull.xntp:,  in  a  sparkling,  showy  style. 
Brio,  with  .^i)irit  and  brilliancy. 


PRINCIPAL   TERMS   USED   IIS^   VOCAL   MUSIC.  65 

Cadexce,  a  close  in  melody  or  harmony.     A  passage  introduced  as  the  con- 
cluding embellishment  of  a  song  or  piece  of  music. 

Cadenza,  a  cadence,  or  close,  at  the  termination  of  a  song  or  other  piece  of 
music,  introducing  some  ornamental  and  brilliant  embellishment. 

Calando,  gradually  diminishing  in  tone  and  quickness,  becoming  softer  and 
slower  by  degrees. 

Calmato,  with  calmness  and  tranquillity. 

Canone,  a  canon,  or  catch  for  several  voices  or  instruments. 

Cantabile,  in  a  melodious,  graceful,  and  singin^r  style. 

Caxtante,  a  part  which  is  intended  for  the  voice. 

Cantata,  a  species  of  composition  for  one  voice,  consisting  of  several  move- 
ments, with  an  intermixture  of  air  and  recitatives. 

Cantatrice,  a  female  singer. 

Canto,  the  highest  vocal  part  in  choral  music. 

Canto  Primo,  the  first  treble. 

Capo,  the  head  or  heginning. 

Carol,  old  ballads  sung  at  Cliristmas  by  itinerant  minstrels. 

Catch,  a  humorous  composition  for  three  or  four  voices,  so  contrived  that  the 
singers  catch  up  each  other's  sentences. 

Cavatina,  an  air  of  one  movement  or  part  only,  sometimes  preceded  by  a  re- 
citative. 

Changing  Notes,  passing  notes  on  the  accented  parts  of  a  bar. 

Chant,  a  simple  melody,  generally  harmonized  in  four  parts,  to  which  the 
daily  psalms  are  sung  in  cathedrals. 

Chceur,  the  choir,  or  chorus. 

Choir,  the  portion  of  a  church  or  cathedral  set  apart  for  the  singers  in  divine 
worship  ;  also  the  singers  themselves,  taken  collectively. 

Choral,  a  psalm  tune. 

Chord,  a  combination  of  several  sounds  forming  harmony. 

Clefs,  characters  serving  to  determine  the  names  and  acuteness  or  gravity  of 
every  note  in  the  stave  to  which  they  are  prefixed. 

Coloratura,  every  variety  of  musical  ornament. 

Common  Chord,  a  chord  consisting  of  a  bass  note  together  with  its  third  and 
fifth,  to  which  the  octave  is  often  added. 

Compound  Times,  those  measures  which  contain  two  or  three  principal  ac- 
cents as,  f ,  Jj--,  f ,  &c. 

Compound  Common  Time,  a  time  containing  six  quarter  or  six  eighth  notes  in 
a  measure. 

Compound  Triple  Time,  a  time  with  nine  quarter  or  eighth  notes  in  a  measure. 

Con,  with. 

Con  Anima,  with  spirit  and  feeling. 

Con  Brio,  with  brilliancy  and  animation. 

Con  Dolcezza.  with  sweetness. 

Con  Espressione,  with  expression. 

Con  Moto,  with  somewhat  of  an  agitated  expression. 


C6  PKINCIPAL   TERMS   USED   IN   VOCAL   MUSIC. 

Con  Semplicita,  with  simplicity. 

Con  TjENEKEZza,  with  tenderness. 

CORALE,  the  plain  chant. 

Crescendo,  a  word  intimating  a  gradual  increase  of  loudness. 

Crescendo  Poco-a-Poco,  to  increase  the  sound  little  by  little. 

Crescendo  poi  Diminuendo,  increasing  and  then  diminishing  the  sound. 

Da  Capo,  or  D.  C,  from  the  beginning.  Written  at  the  end  of  a  movement  it 
indicates  that  the  singer  must  return  to  and  finish  with  the  first  strain. 

Da  Capo  al  Fine,  placed  at  the  end  of  a  movement  it  signifies  that  the  per- 
former must  return  to  the  first  part,  and  conclude  where  the  word  fine  is 
placed. 

Decrescendo,  diminishing  the  intensity  or  force  of  the  sound. 

Descending,  passing  from  any  note  to  one  less  acute. 

Diatonic  Scale,  the  seven  gradations  of  tone,  arranged  in  conformity  with 
some  particular  key. 

Diminished,  somewhat  less  than  perfect,  as  applied  to  intervals,  chords,  &c. 

Diminuendo  or  Dim.  This  term  implies  that  the  quantity  or  intensity  of  tone 
must  be  gradually  diminished. 

Dirge,  a  funeral  song. 

Discord,  a  dissonant  combination  of  sounds. 

Dissonant,  an  inharmonious  combination  of  sounds. 

Dolente,  grieving,  mournful. 

Dolor E,  con  Dolore,  with  grief. 

Dominant,  a  name  given  by  theorists  to  the  fifth  note  of  the  scale. 

Dot,  a  character  which,  when  I'laccd  after  a  note  or  rest,  increases  its  duration 
by  the  half  of  its  original  value. 

Double  Bar,  two  thick  strokes  drawn  through  the  stave. 

Double  Dot,  two  dots  placed  after  a  note  increase  its  duration  three-fourths 
of  its  original  length. 

Duet,  a  composition  for  two  voices. 

Duo,  a  composition  for  two  voices  or  instruments. 

Dynamics,  the  various  degrees  of  sound. 

Emphasis,  a  stress  or  marked  accent  on'any  note. 

EtiUAL  Voices.  Compositions  for  equal  voices  are  those  in  which  either  all 
male  or  all  female  voices  are  employed. 

False,  Those  intonations  of  the  voice  which  do  not  truly  express  the  intended 
intervals,  as  well  as  all  ill  adjusted  combinations  ;  and  those  strings,  pipes, 
and  other  sonorous  bodies  which  cannot  be  accurately  tuned,  are  denomi- 
nated false. 

Fine,  the  end.  This  expression  is  generally  used  to  indicate  the  termination 
of  a  musical  composition. 

Fioriture,  embellishments  in  singing  ;  divisions  of  rapid  notes. 

FiouiTO,  embellishments. 


PEINCIPAL  TEEMS   USED   IX  VOCAL   MUSIC.  67 

Flat,  a  character  that,  placed  before  a  note,  lowers  or  flattens  it  in  pitch  by 

half  a  tone. 
Flowed,  ornamented,  figured,  embellished. 
Forte,  loud.     Fortissimo,  very  loud. 
Full  Score,   a  complete  score  of  all  the  parts  of  a  complete  composition, 

whether  vocal  or  instrumental,  or  both  combined. 

Gai,  gayly,  joyously. 

Giojoso,  joyously,  with  buoyant  hilarity. 

Glee,  a  composition  for  three  or  more  voices,  generally  in  a  cheerful  style. 

Graces,  ornamental  notes,  indicated  by  the  composer,  or  added  spontaneously 

by  the  performer.     Those  usually  used  are  the  appoggiatura,  the  turn,  and 

the  shake. 
Grande,  gneat ;  as,   con  gi^ande  espressione,  with  much  ex-pression. 
Grandioso,  in  a  noble  and  elevated  style. 
Grave,  a  very  slow  and  solemn  movement ;  also  a  deep,  low  pitch  in  the  scale 

of  sounds. 
Grazioso,  in  a  graceful  and  flowing  style. 
Group,  an  assemblage  of  several  short  notes  tied  together. 

Harmony,  the  art  of  combining  notes  so  as  to  form  chords,  and  of  causing  the 
chords  thus  formed  to  succeed  each  other  according  to  certain  laws. 

Harmonized.  A  melody  is  said  to  be  harmonized  when  additional  parts  are 
subjoined,  so  as  to  give  it  body,  or  a  fullness  of  effect. 

Hymn,  religious,  lyric  poem. 

I:mperfect,  less  than  perfect,  or  minor,  in  speakinor  of  intervals,  chords,  &c. 
In  Alt.     This  term  is  applied  to  notes  which  are  situated  above  F  on  the  top 

line  of  the  treble  stave. 
Inflection,  a  modification  or  change  in  the  tone  or  pitch  of  the  voice. 
Interlude,  an  intermediate  strain  or  movement. 
Interval,  the  diflerence  of  pitch,  or  distance,  between  two  notes. 
Intonation,  in  singing,  implies  the  emission  of  the  voice  so  as  to  produce 

any  required  note  in  proper  tune. 

Key,  a  series  of  notes,  each  of  which  has  a  fixed  and  distinct  relation  to  one 
particular  note,  which,  on  that  account,  is  termed  the  key-note. 

Key-note,  a  note  to  which  a  series  of  other  subordinate  notes  bears  a  distinct 
relation. 

La,  a  syllable  used  in  solfaing  to  the  note  A. 

Larghetto,  a  time  slow  and  measured  in  movement,  but  lees  so  than  largo. 

Larghissimo,  extremely  slow. 

Largo,  a  very  slow  and  solemn  degree  of  movement. 

Larynx.  The  larynx  is  composed  of  five  annular  cartilages,  placed  one  above 
another,  and  united  by  elastic  ligaments,  or  fibres,  by  which  it  is  so  dilated 
and  contracted  as  to  be  capable  of  producing  aU  the  various  tones  of  the  voice. 


68  PRINCIPAL  TERMS   USED   IN   VOCAL   MUSIC. 

Le^xjding  Note,  tLe  seventli  note  of  tho  scale  of  any  key,  when  at  the  distance 
of  a  semitone  below  the  key-note. 

Ledgek,  or  Legeii  Lines,  extra  lines  added  above  or  below  to  those  of  the  stave. 

Legato,  a  word  impl\'iug  a  close,  gliding  manner  of  jx^rformance. 

Leggieremente,  with  lightness,  gayety. 

Lentando,  with  increased  slowness. 

Lento,  in  slow  time. 

Lied,  a  song. 

Lines,  those  members  of  a  stave  on  and  between  which  the  notes  are  placed. 
They  were  designed  by  Guido  At  their  first  introduction  the  spaces  be- 
tween them  were  not  used. 

L'IsTESSO  Tempo,  in  the  same  time  as  the  previous  movement. 

LusiNGANDO,  soothingly,  winningly. 

Madrigals  elaborate  compositions  for  voices  in  five  or  six  parts,  in  the 
ancient  style  of  imitation  and  fugue. 

Major  Mode,  one  of  the  two  modern  modes ;  that  in  which  the  third  from 
the  key-note  is  major. 

Marcato,  in  a  marked  and  emphatic  style. 

Marziale,  in  a  martial  style. 

Mass,  a  Catholic  musical  service,  comprising  several  movements. 

Measure,  that  division  of  time  by  which  the  air  and  motion  of  music  are  reg- 
ulated. 

Melody,  a  series  of  single  sounds,  so  arranged  as  to  produce  a  varied  and 
agreeable  effect  on  the  ear. 

Melodics,  forms  of  study  relating  to  the  general  nature  of  melody. 

Mess  A  di  Voce,  a  swelling  and  diminishing  of  the  voice  on  a  long-holding  note. 

Metronome,  an  instrument  which  indicates  tho  exact  time  of  a  musical  piece, 
by  means  of  a  pendulum,  which  may  be  shortened  or  lengthened  at  pleasure. 

Mezzo,  half;  as,  mezzo  voce,  in  a  subdued  tone;  7nezzo  piano,  rather  soft; 
mezzo  forte,  rathijr  loud. 

Mezzo  Soprano,  a  female  voice  of  lower  pitch  than  the  soprano  or  treble. 

Minor,  less,  in  respect  of  intervals. 

Minor  Mode,  that  of  the  only  two  modes  recognized  in  modern  music  in  which 
the  third  degree  of  the  scale  from  the  tonic  forms  the  interval  of  a  minor 
third. 

Mode,  a  certain  arrangement  of  tones  and  semitones. 

M(  )DrLATiON,  a  change  of  key. 

MoLTO,  very,  extremely;  as,  vioito  allegro,  very  quick;  rnolto  adagio,  ex- 
tremely slow. 

Mordente,  a  grace  formed  by  two  or  more  notes  preceding  the  princii)al  note. 

Mokkndo,  gradually  diminishing  the  sound  till  it  dies  away,  and  at  the  same 
time  slackening  the  time. 

Moto,  con,  with  agitation.  This  word  is  sometimes  added  to  the  Italian  word 
denoting  the  speed  of  the  movement ;  as,  andante  con  moto. 


PRINCIPAL   TERMS   USED   IX   VOCAL   MUSIC .  69 

Music,  tlie  science  of  sounds,  which  is  further  divided  into  four  parts  :  Nota- 
tion, the  art  of  representing  musical  sounds  and  their  modifications  by  notes, 
signs,  &c.  Melody,  or  the  succession  of  sounds,  in  varied  and  agreeable  in- 
tervals. Harmony,  the  art  of  combining  sounds  so  as  to  form  chords,  and  of 
causing  the  chords  to  succeed  each  other  according  to  certain  laws  ;  and, 
Rhythm,  the  disposition  of  melody  or  harmony  in  respect  of  time  or  measure. 

MuTATTOX,  change ;  as  a  musical  term  it  refers  to  the  transition  of  voice  at 
an  early  age. 

Nasal  Tone.  In  singing,  this  term  implies  that  the  tone  of  the  voice  is  dete- 
rioated  by  passing  through  the  nostrils. 

Natural,  the  character  which  restores  a  note,  that  has  been  sharpened  or 
flattened,  to  its  original  state. 

NoN  Troppo  Allegro,  not  too  quick. 

Notation,  the  art  of  representing  musical  sounds  and  their  various  modifica- 
tions by  notes,  signs,  terms,  &c. 

Octave,  an  interval  of  eight  notes. 
Offertory,  a  part  of  the  Catholic  morning  service. 
Opera,  a  musical  drama,  comprising  recitatives,  airs,  choruses,  &c. 
Operetta,  a  short  or  little  opera. 

Oratorio,  a  musical  drama,  founded  on  a  scriptural  story,  performed  without 
the  aid  of  scenery  and  action. 

Parlando,  in  a  speaking  or  declamatory  manner. 

Passage,  any  phrase,  or  short  portion  of  an  air,  or  other  composition.    Every 

member  of  a  strain  or  movement  is  a  passage. 
Passing-notes,  notes  added  to  the  harmony,  and  serving  to  connect  those 

which  are  essential. 
Pastorale,  a  soft,  rural  movement. 
Pause,  a  musical  character,  consisting  of  a  dot  surmounted  by  a  curve,  which 

serves  to  protract  the  duration  of  a  note  or  rest  beyond  its  natural  length. 
Pesante,  with  importance,  impressively. 
Phrase,  an  incomplete  musical  idea,  generally  occupying  two  measures,  or  at 

most  three. 
PiACERE,  pleasure ;  as,  a  piacere,  at  the  performer's  pleasure  with  respect  to 

time. 
Pianissimo,  or  pp,  extremely  soft. 

Piano,  soft.     This  word  expresses  a  very  slight  degree  of  intensity  ;  the  oppo- 
site of  forte. 
Pitch,  the  acuteness  or  gravity  of  any  particular  sound,  or  the  tuning  of  any 

instrument. 
Piu,  an  adverb  of  augmentation. 
Pro  Forte,  louder. 
Piu  Lento,  slower. 
Piu  Mosso,  with  increased  action. 


70  PRINCIPAL   TERMS   USED   IN   VOCAL   MUSIC. 

Placido,  calm  and  quiet. 

Plantivo,  expressively,  plaintively. 

Poco,  a  little. 

Poco  Animato,  a  little  more  animated. 

Poco  Adagio,  a  little  slovr, 

Poco  Piano,  somewhat  soft. 

Portamento,  the  manner  of  sustaining  and  conducting  the  voice  ;  a  gliding 

from  one  note  to  another. 
Prima  Donna,  the  principal  female  singer  in  the  Italian  serious  opera. 
Primo,  first ;  as,  primo  tempo,  return  to  the  original  time. 

Quartet,  a  composition  for  four  voices  or  instruments. 

Quasi,  in  the  manner  or  style  of  ;  as,  quasi  fantasia,  in  the  style  of  a  fantasia. 

Quasi  Andante,  in  the  andante  style. 

Quintet,  a  composition  for  five  voices  or  instruments. 

Rallentando,  a  gradual  decrease  both  of  the  speed  of  the  movement,  and 
the  quantity  of  tone. 

Recitative,  a  species  of  musical  recitation.  It  was  first  introduced  in  the 
year  1660,  at  Rome. 

Refrain,  an  old  term  for  the  burden  of  a  song. 

Register,  the  compass  of  a  voice  or  instrument ;  also  an  organ  stop  of  any 
species. 

Rests,  the  characters  which  indicate  silence  in  music. 

Rhythm,  the  theory  of  musical  cadence,  as  applied  to  melody. 

Rhythmics,  rhythmical  forms  and  delineations. 

Rinforzando  {rf.  abb.),  with  additional  tone  and  emphasis. 

RisoLUTO,  in  a  bold,  decided  style, 

RiTARDANDO.  a  gradual  diminution  or  slackening  of  the  time,  with  a  corres- 
ponding decrease  in  point  of  tone. 

Scherzo,  in  a  light,  gay,  cheerful  manner. 

SciOLTO,  with  boldness  and  freedom. 

Score,  a  complete  and  orderly  assemblage,  in  one  view,  of  the  parts  of  a  vocal 

or  instrumental  composition. 
Secular  Music,  all  music  not  designed  for  religious  purposes. 
Segno,  a  sign  ;  as,  al  segno,  return  to  the  sign ;  dal  segno,  repeat  from  the  sign. 
Semitone,  a  half  tone. 
Semplice,  with  simplicity,  artlessly. 
Sempre,  always  ;  sempre  staccato,  always  staccato  or  detached  ;  sempre  forte, 

always  loud. 
Sensible,  the  leading  note  or  major  seventh  of  the  scale. 
Senza,  without ;  as,  scnza  organo,  without  the  organ. 
Sestet,  a  vocal  or  instrumental  composition  in  six  parts. 
Seventh,  an  interval  formed  of  seven  sounds. 


PEINCIPAL  TERMS   USED   IN   VOCAL  MUSIC.  71 

Sextuple,  name  formerly  given  to  what  is  now  called  compound  common  time. 
Sforzando,  signifies  that  a  particular  note  should  be  played  with  force  and 

emphasis. 
Shake,  an  embellishment  consisting  of  the  alternate  reiteration  of  two  notes 

comprehending  an  interval  not  greater  than  one  whole  tone,  nor  less  than 

a  semitone. 
Sharp,  a  character,  the  power  of  which  is  to  raise  the  note  before  which  it  is 

placed  half  a  tone. 
Signature,  the  signature,  or  name  jriven  to  the  aggregate  of  sharps  or  flats 

necessary  to  each  key,  and  placed  at  the  beginning  of  each  stave. 
Sixth,  an  interval  comprising  six  degrees. 
Slentando,  a  gradual  decrease  in  the  speed  of  the  movement. 
SiiUR,  a  curved  line  drawn  over  two  or  more  notes  to  indicate  that  they  must 

be  smoothly  connected. 
Slide,  two  notes  gradually  rising  or  falling  toward  the  principal  note. 
SMOrxZANDO,  diminishing  the  sound  ;  dying  away  by  degrees. 
SOLFA,  SoLFAiNG,  the  practice  of  solfeggi  by  means  of  the  syllables  Do,  Re, 

Mi,  Fa,  Sol,  La,  Si,  corresponding  to  the  notes  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  A,  B. 
Solfeggi,  exercises  for  the  voice. 
Solo,  alone  ;  a  composition,  or  even  a  passage  for  a  single  voice  or  instrument, 

with  or  without  accompaniments. 
Song,  a  short  lyric  poem  set  to  music.     The  ancients  had  the  art  of  singing 

before  they  had  that  of  writing  ;  and  their  laws,  as  well  as  their  histories, 

were  sung  long  before  they  were  inscribed. 
Soprano,  the  highest  species  of  female  voice. 
SospiRANDO,  with  apprehension,  despondingly. 
Sostenuto,  or  SOST.,  sustained,  continued  in  respect  of  tone. 
SOTTO  Voce,  in  a  soft  or  subdued  manner,  in  an  undertone. 
Spaces,  the  intervals  between  the  lines  of  the  stave. 
Staccato.     The  notes  to  be  sung  distinct,  short,  and  as  if  detached  from  one 

another  by  rests. 
Staff,  or  Stave,  lines  on  which  notes  are  written. 
Stent ATO,  in  a  loud,  bawling  manner. 

Strain,  a  portion  of  a  movement  divided  off  by  a  double  bar. 
Strepito,  con,  Strepitoso,  in  an  impetuous,  boisterous  style. 
Stringendo,  increasing  the  degree  of  movement. 
Superfluous  Intervals,  augmented  intervals. 
Sustai>;ed,    notes  are  said  to  be  sustained  when  their  sound  is  continued 

through  their  whole  power  or  length. 
Syncopation,    forming  one  continued  sound,  by  connecting  an  unaccented 

note  with  the  following  accented  one,  either  in  the  same  or  in  different  bars. 

Tanto,  not  so  much,  not  too  much. 

Tempo,  the  degree  of  movement. 

Tempo  Primo,  indicates  a  return  to  tlie  original  time. 


12  PRINCIPAL   TERMS   USED  IN  VOCAL   MUSIC. 

Tempo  Marcia,  in  the  time  of  a  march. 

Tempo  Valse,  in  the  time  of  a  waltz. 

Texoh.  the  highest  male  voice. 

Terzetto,  a  short  trio  or  piece  for  three  voices  or  instruments. 

Third,  an  interval  of  three  degrees. 

Ties,  curved  lines  drawn  over  notes. 

Tied  Notes,  connected  notes,  or  those  having  a  tie  above  them. 

Tone.  This  word  is  received  in  various  senses.  First,  to  signify  a  certain 
degree  of  distance  or  interval  between  two  sounds,  as  in  the  major  tone  and 
the  minor  tone.  Secondly,  it  implies  a  property  of  sound,  by  which  it  comes 
under  the  relation  of  grave  and  acute. 

Transient  Modulation,  passing  modulation  ;  such  as  quits  a  key  almost  as 
soon  as  it  is  entered  upon. 

Transition,  in  harmony,  changing  the  genus  or  mode  in  a  sensible  but  reg- 
ular manner. 

Transposed,  removed  into  another  key. 

Transposition,  changing  a  composition  into  another  key  from  that  in  which 
it  is  written. 

Triad,  a  chord  of  three  notes,  a  common  chord. 

Trill,  a  shake. 

Trio,  a  piece  for  three  voices  or  instruments. 

Triplet,  a  group  of  three  notes  arising  from  the  division  of  a  note  into  three 
equal  parts  of  the  next  inferior  duration,  which  are  to  be  performed  in  the 
time  of  two  such  notes. 

Tune,  a  succession  of  measured  sounds. 

Tltin,  an  embellishment,  consisting  of  the  note  on  which  the  turn  is  made, 
the  note  above  it,  and  the  semitone  below  it. 

TuTTA,  all ;  as,  con  tutta  forza,  with  all  possible  force. 

Unison,  a  consonance  or  concord  of  sounds. 
Un  Poco  Ritenuto,  gradually  slower. 

Veloce,  or  con  Yelocita,  in  rapid  time. 

ViGOROSO,  strongly,  vigorously. 

Vivace,  quick  and  lively. 

Vocalize,  to  practice  singing  on  the  vowels,  chiefly  the  Italian  A. 

VocALizzi.  exercises  for  the  voice  to  be  sung  on  the  vowels. 

Voce,  to  voice. 

VoLTi  SuBiTO,  turn  over  the  page  quickly. 


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